


Mine

by HackdrawerMcHugglesWorthRivertonThe3rd



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Forced Marriage, Kids to Adults fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:01:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 22
Words: 172,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29685069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HackdrawerMcHugglesWorthRivertonThe3rd/pseuds/HackdrawerMcHugglesWorthRivertonThe3rd
Summary: An alpha and an omega are forced to marry as children to allow their families’ territories to thrive - but neither kid wants the responsibility. If they can resist killing each other, they'll learn that they can actually like each other.
Relationships: Akagami no Shanks | Red-Haired Shanks/Dracule Mihawk, Trafalgar D. Water Law/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 13
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I need only one more chapter to finish this fic - hopefully as I upload, I’ll find the imagination to actually do it :)

**: : One**

* * *

The ceremony itself felt like a hush-hush event despite its often jubilant and heavy past within the castle's history. The event hall wasn't even decorated – just filled with attendees that were forced to stand. He wasn't even given a chance to take a bath or brush his teeth – just forced out of bed by Corazon and hastily dressed in clothes he'd never seen before. By the time the taller man tugged him out into the hall, there were multiple people standing there with grievous expressions and a sense of tension in the air. He passed by three identical faces of boys that were younger than him, all of them dressed in stiff suits and surrounded by identical men that warned them against opening their mouths with hands on their small shoulders. Law remembered thinking that the boys' long hair and similar faces made them look girlish, but their clothes looked like something similar to funeral wear. Black suits and black ties, with black ribbons pulling their rainbow hued hair back into identical ponytails.

The clothing Law wore was a brightly colored robe in hues of blues, yellows and black, with a black slash over his left shoulder. He was nervous about it, wearing only underwear underneath and squirming anxiously as he kept the material bunched together at his waist to prevent peeking. Before ascending the stairs to the platform at the front of the event hall, Corazon forced a blue hood over his head that was semi-sheer, allowing him to see shapes ahead of him but not individual features. When Law intended on struggling, questions building up on his tongue, Corazon gripped his arm tightly and shook him with a warning before forcing him to sit on a floor pillow Law had never seen before. Because of the material of his clothes and pillow, he understood that this ceremony was formal and important – but the colors and design weren't something he was aware of.

The tension was mounting in the room as he grumbled, sitting clumsily with his legs folded underneath him and his heart racing a million miles per hour. He could still taste his sleep, and he licked at his plaque-stained teeth as he strained to hear voices around him to tell him what this ceremony was for. Maybe it was a coming of age ceremony – he'd just turned thirteen. He reached down to hold the folds of his robe together at his lap, embarrassed with the foreign material.

He realized someone was being forced to sit aside of him, and the semi-sheer material of his hood allowed him to see a kid being sat on the pillow next to him, wearing a very similar style of hood and robe. The man hissed a warning for the kid to follow instructions and keep quiet, the tone just as dangerous as Corazon's. Law's heart raced a million miles per hour as he wondered _what the fuck_ was happening. The kid next to him was smaller than him.

Before either of them could say anything, Law heard Doflamingo say low to another person, "Get it over with. Quickly."

"What's happening?" Law questioned shakily, feeling a foot against his back for his effort. He winced and cringed at the unexpected impact, unsure of who did it. He was sure it was Doflamingo, who'd settled himself directly behind him. Law could tell by the powerful scent of his cologne and the tinge of alcohol.

"This ceremony will begin now, and of the two families gathered here today, witness with thine own eyes this matrimony," a man with an older voice announced grandly, and Law recognized it as belonging to the priest that controlled their village's religious sect. His breath caught in his throat – Law was positive the priest had said 'matrimony', which was a word for marriage, and Law was quite sure that this was all a mistake because no one had told him anything!

"I'm just a kid!" he hissed, head moving about with alarm. " _What's happening_?"

"Law. _Quiet_ ," Corazon warned him from his right, causing Law to look in that direction as the priest continued on without pause.

"I don't want to get married!" Law continued to whisper with panic. " _I don't want to_ \- !"

" _Shush_."

The priest suddenly snatched his sweaty hand, squeezing with enough force to have Law cry out with alarm. Once he felt the tiny hand of the kid next to him against his palm, Law jerked his hand away. The priest squeezed his hand back over the other's with a sort of angry action that made him hiss again. But Law straightened his fingers and kept his palm straight, straining to avoid touching that tiny hand. The other hand was just as shaking as his, straining to get away from his. Law looked over as the priest announced the duties of a working marriage that would combine their families together, through thick and thin. A cloth was wrapped over their hands, combining them together as Law struggled to compose himself. He could hear the kid's agitated breath and looked over once again, straining to see her features. All he could see was a face looking back at him with just as much terror, but Law couldn't see her exact features to see if he knew her. He made to lift up his hood for a better look, but Corazon slapped his free hand down with another warning.

Five minutes later, the priest forced them to stand and Law almost tripped over his pillow as he did so. The hood was removed, and he was startled to see how full the event hall actually was. On the left were unfamiliar faces and glaring tension of a group wearing colors he'd never seen before, while on his right were the grim expressions of adults that he knew well. The priest impatiently removed the sash from around their combined hands, and Law looked over at the kid. He'd just seen his face minutes earlier, in the three that he'd passed.

It was a boy. He was being married off to a _boy._

He jerked his hand away with a cry of panic while the boy looked at him similarly. The three boys standing in front were snickering and elbowing each other, all of them not much older than eight. Law looked to Corazon with rage on his features as the priest continued on, gesturing for a faded red bowl from an alter boy. He dipped his hand into it, then drew a crescent shape over Law's forehead and the other kid's before gesturing that they drink from it.

Disgusted, Law made to upset the bowl with a swipe of his hand, but Doflamingo's hand clasped that muscle connecting neck and shoulder with such warning that Law cringed. After Doflamingo's hand let up, Law took the bowl the priest offered to him and sipped. The taste made him cough noisily, eyes burning once he realized it was alcohol. The kid next to him, dressed in a similar robe but in yellow, with stripes of blue and black, took a sip and coughed just as noisily.

"Together, this marriage will provide the necessary bridge to link ours to yours," the priest then said, tone flat. He separated the sash into two with a pair of scissors, and folded each piece over their left shoulders with quiet action. Both of them shifted restlessly, as if the material burned them. "The children are united in both name and chore – alpha and omega. Maybe your bloodlines continue with success, Donquixote and Vinsmoke."

Horrified, Law looked over at his child bride, who looked just as shell-shocked as he did.

" _NO_!" Law shouted, then looked over at Corazon for an explanation. Corazon signaled at him with a blistering expression to be silent, wearing such warning that Law's voice faltered and he looked to Doflamingo instead. But the man looked equally as upset as he glared over at the other family, who was returning the feeling. Looking at those standing in the hall, Law realized this wasn't an amicable thing. He didn't even recognize the last name the priest had just mentioned.

In this world, the alliance was a shaky one, but necessary. Law realized it only happened because he was recently recognized as an alpha. The kid next to him, with his long hair and shocked face, looked like he'd just been slapped. The kids with the same faces as his were struggling in vain to keep themselves from laughing noisily, their nannies/guards hissing at them to be quiet. Law looked at the kid again, and was utterly disgusted by the fact that this was a _boy_ , that this was an _omega_ he was married to, and that in the future, they were expected to have kids _together_.

The priest held up his hands, gesturing that each child given them theirs. Both of them, after forced gesture from their respective parents, extended their left hands into his palms. Seething with anger, Law glared at the older man while the other kid looked near tears. The priest mumbled words he couldn't exactly hear, his blood pounding fiercely with all of Law's feelings. But he felt the sudden warmth of fire against his palm, and the image of an outline on his ring finger caused his skin to sizzle, smoke wafting away with the stench of burned flesh. The agony was terrible, the sight of his skin bubbling with a forced scar to signify the bonding allowing both of them to yell out in fear and pain. Law's eyes burned with pained tears and his voice trembled with embarrassing weight.

The priest dropped their hands while Law struggled not to touch the burn mark and the kid cried as silently as he could, clutching his wrist with his other hand.

"It is done," the priest then uttered briskly, looking unnerved. He looked to Doflamingo cautiously. "This ceremony…even conducted at their age, nothing can be done if his bride is underage…"

"Can't be helped," Doflamingo muttered in response. "Law. Take the hand of your bride."

" _NO_ ," Law snapped at him, his young voice ringing out over the tense crowd. He looked at the other child accusingly, who looked back at him with tears on his cheeks and a clumsy clutch of his burned hand. "NO, he's a _boy_! I don't want to marry a stupid boy!"

"We don't have a damn choice," Doflamingo snapped at him, grabbing an ear and giving it a threatening twist. Law reached out and snagged the boy's wrist, breathing fiercely with building anger and humiliation.

Doflamingo's voice dropped lower, in a near bitter whisper. "His daughter, whom you were _supposed_ to marry, decided to drop herself off a cliff yesterday."

Law wondered what led to that, feeling paralyzed by the angry feeling behind Doflamingo's voice and for the fact that this was already an agreed action. He was never made aware that he was supposed to marry anybody – he was only thirteen, he didn't have marriage in any of his future plans. He swallowed tightly, suppressing rage and the want to continue expressing himself. He loosened his fingers so that he was barely touching the boy, which he remembered was an 'omega'.

The thought was absolutely _disgusting_. At his age, it felt unfair. His fate was something _he_ should be able to determine for his own, not have others dictate it for him. He just found out he was an alpha, he'd made his own plans for his future, and none of it consisted of getting married to a damn male _omega_.

His face and neck filled with rising pressure as those standing in the event hall regarded each other dangerously. It felt like this forced marriage was something decided on a whim, something neither had wanted but had decided it was necessary. Those kids were hushed and crammed together protectively, their expressions looking cautious as they were then ushered away. Law realized that they were leaving behind their brother(?), who watched them with a growing sense of horror.

The kid jerked his hand away from Law and ventured to the edge of the platform, two of Doflamingo's guards pausing his escape by standing in front of him. "Father? Father, I'm coming too, right?"

A huge man that Law had noticed was standing away from his children, dressed in armor over his black suit and looking as dangerous as Doflamingo did with the decision, looked back at his own child with a sense of disgust.

"No," he answered simply before turning his back on his child and leaving with the others. Law looked to the kid, and saw his wordless shock as he watched his family leave him. Law was disgusted by the kid's age and his childish terror, looking back at Corazon and Doflamingo with utter loathing.

Corazon was the only one that gave him a sympathetic look. Doflamingo glared after the party leaving, then gripped Law's shoulder tightly with warning. Law found his teeth clenched as the kid struggled not to cry openly, surrounded by strangers.

"This unity guarantees our success," Doflamingo said tightly. "We will _thrive_ thanks to your sacrifice."

"To a fucking _omega_?" Law hissed at him with revulsion. He glared back at the kid, who looked back at them with terrified eyes. "To a fucking _kid_?"

"I don't think there will be any fucking from you," Doflamingo said with mock sympathy. "Neither of you are aware of what your nuptial roles require in the bedroom."

" _Doffy_ ," Corazon hissed with warning as Law's face flamed with disgust and humiliation.

"At least he _kinda_ looks like a girl," Doflamingo added with a skeptical glance at the boy left standing there, eyes moving around the hall with absolute terror. Hands in his pockets, Doflamingo left the platform with his familiar gait, their family members heading for the exit while the priest wandered away with a sort of glazed expression. "In a few years, once he matures, I'm sure it won't matter. Neither of you will have a choice once those hormones kick in."

Corazon reached out and gripped Law's shoulder before the boy could launch himself at Doflamingo's back. He jerked him back, forcing him to face him.

"Judge had a daughter near your age," he said softly. "This wasn't supposed to happen like this. Not for a few more years. But she must have known that this was going to happen eventually. Because of that, Judge gave his only other omega to us in order for our alliance to strengthen. Times are changing, Law. And not for the better. Our territories need to be strengthened by the marriage, so think of it as a helping hand for both of us."

Law glared at him, feeling furious. These things were already decided without his notice, without his choice. It seemed that the pride he'd experienced in knowing he was an alpha had been diminished by this event, and he couldn't quite feel those feelings anymore. He balled his fists up at his side and seethed.

He looked over at the kid that watched them interact from the corner of his eye. "I will _never_ like you!" Law hissed at him before pulling up his robes to stomp down the stairs from the platform. Running across the hall floor, he shouted, "This is _bullshit_! I hate everyone!"

Corazon gave the frightened child bride a reluctant look. With how rushed the event was, he wasn't even sure of his name. Doflamingo and Judge had come to terms without much of an invitation for anyone else to object.

Clearing his throat noisily, Corazon crouched down in front of him. But he was at a loss of words, unable to conjure any sort of sympathy or reassurance to gain the kid's confidence. Judge had just left him behind like he was relieved of the weight. So Corazon straightened up and descended the stairs, feeling the weight of the kid's stare on his back.

: :

One morning a year later, Law kicked open the doors to Sanji's bedroom. The kid didn't even look up as the maid brushing his long, blond hair looked at Law with startled action. Sanji looked down at his hands on his lap while the brush was lowered and the maid delicately twisted and coiled his hair into a figure eight against the back of his head. Using the pins at her apron to finish the procedure, the maid found her fingers clumsy as she hurried to finish the task. Near the door, suitcases and trunks were piled in place, ready to be transported. The bedroom the kid had occupied was emptied of anything personal – Doflamingo had relented in Law's demands to allow Sanji to live on another part of their territory for intensive schooling, separating the pair for "individual growth".

Sanji would only return to the area once he matured, and neither boy was looking forward to that aspect.

"You're late!" Law snapped at Sanji, striding over to glare at him. "We were supposed to have left an hour ago, and you're here playing dress up! Like anyone cares what you look like!"

Sanji looked at him resentfully, the maid hastily adding more pins to his hair. At his age, Sanji was the youngest human being residing Spider Miles, and as such, everyone treated him a little differently. Law hated that favoritism.

"Why don't you just cut your shitty hair? Look like a damn boy?" Law asked, glaring at him.

"It's a status symbol," Sanji replied sullenly. He was dressed in a plain white shirt and green trousers, brown shoes shining from a recent waxing. But over his shoulders was the yellowish fur from a wolf and the yellow scarf with his family crest on it that held both items in place. His long blond hair was the only thing that required regular maintenance, often setting aside time for proper brushing and styling limited to ponytails, braids or a bun. Law often accused him of looking like a manly girl. "Father said we must grow our hair to present ourselves as royalty."

" _Royalty_ ," Law hissed at him, crossing his arms over his chest. "You aren't royalty. You're a fucking _cow_. I hope a cure is found before that shit happens. No kid on this planet deserves your ugly looks."

"Law," the maid interjected as Sanji snapped back, " _Good_!"

"Don't talk back to me, or I'll smack you senseless."

" _Try_ , you shitty crybaby of a boy," Sanji snarled back, patting his hair as Law reddened with rage and cocked back an arm.

Thankfully for the maid, Corazon was there to grab his balled fist with an impatient sigh.

"Let's go, both of you," he snapped at both of them. "Grab your jackets, it's supposed to rain."

"I'm not getting out of the coach, I don't need a shitty coat," Law snapped back at the man, Corazon hitting him upside the head for the retort. Law was wearing a furred black bear scarf over a short sleeved shirt and trousers, worn boots laced up to his knees and a brown vest buttoned in place. Hung from his torso was his bag, holding onto a drawing journals, some pens, a magic book and a hand gun with a box of ammo Doffy had gifted him for his birthday. He couldn't wait to go shooting with it later.

"Why does _he_ have to go with us?" Sanji muttered, drawing the wolf's fur tightly around his shoulder.

"I want to make sure you get there so I don't have to see your face again," Law told him smugly.

"I hope we get robbed and killed along the way."

Corazon sighed as the pair glared at each other. He coaxed the kids into marching for the door, the maid hurrying off to get the suitcases and trunks piled into the coach.

"I'm relieved for this separation, for I am tired of hearing you both threaten and argue with each other," Corazon muttered bitterly.

"It's Doffy's fucking fault," Law replied murderously. "Marrying me off to some useless kid. A _boy_. A fucking _omega_ …the absolute worst in filth…not much more worthy than rotting trash…"

Corazon grabbed his shoulders with a hard squeeze, directing them down the spiral staircase.

"Sub genders are no one's fault," he admonished on an exhausted tone. "Frankly, the only reason why there are alphas and omegas present is because of the diminished population. We're _dying_ as a human race, and this happened because of it. Don't forget that."

"Fucking zombies," Law muttered.

"I wish they'd swarm us so I don't have to hear his screechy voice anymore," Sanji mumbled, Law looking back at him furiously.

"Zombies emerged because of humans, so if you want someone to blame, blame the human race for this," Corazon said. "Fortunately, our territories prevent the hordes from wandering onto our lands, so both of your wishes in being swarmed by them is just a dream. Most likely, we'll die because of an accident or highway robbery."

"I hope I get to see _you_ die," Law whispered to Sanji with a frightening expression. Sanji glared at him, but then looked nervous at the thought.

Corazon shook Law's shoulder impatiently as they emerged into the daylight. Spider Miles was an ugly city – crowded with polluting factories that left trash piled into their streets, which formed small mountains. The air was thick with pollution, and most had to wear masks. The factories were occupied by robotic lines and AI programs, as humans were scarce. The city produced weaponry and armory for outside territories that had money and goods to bargain with. While a fairly successful territory, it was one of the more ugly eye sores that mankind had the misfortune to see. There was no beauty to it.

The coach was ready for them, motor running noisily as the driver waited for them. Behind him was another vehicle with armed guards and servants moving hastily to load Sanji's things into the trunk.

"Where's Doflamingo?" Sanji asked, shielding his eyes from the sun as he glanced about.

After looking at one of the windows stories above their heads, Corazon said, "Probably napping. Don't worry about him."

"Everyone's happy to see you go," Law told Sanji, climbing into the coach while Corazon lifted and helped the smaller kid up into it. "No one likes you here."

"Everyone hates _you_ for being such a mean kid," Sanji replied sullenly, pushing up against the corner of the back seat to stare out the window. Law intended on positioning himself across from him to kick him, but Corazon seated him next to Sanji instead, taking over the entire facing seat to himself. Both kids curled away from each other, glaring out their windows.

Once again, Corazon was reminded that these two were mere _children_ , with so much expectation upon their shoulders. It made him sick to know that one day, one would need to breed and one needed to be bred. They had no choice in the matter, their decisions made without their consent; nature was cruel that way. He looked at his folded hands for a moment, then pulled out his cigarettes.

Nearly half an hour later, the coach and the accompanying car behind it took the single lane road out from the city walls. Corazon watched Law practice his magic while Sanji stared out the window to ignore them both. As an alpha, Law was capable of producing magical gifts worthy of a superhuman, and he was already showing great potential over his. As expected of an alpha – they were perfectionists, hard driven to be the best and having the best.

Alphas and omegas were rare in the world – both prized for their statuses. The rarest of human beings, small wars were raged to have at least one pair within their territory. Alphas were capable of immense magic and talent, while omegas were prized for their ability to produce either sub-gender. Omegas had the ability to weld their own magic; Corazon was grateful for that. While they couldn't help the fact that their hormones were unimaginatively susceptible to horrific acts of crime, they were able to defend themselves. As young as he was, Sanji had yet to discover exactly what he was capable of.

His father, Judge Vinsmoke, was a scientist with a successful number of children. His omega wife had died giving birth to the quadruplets. His daughter had her first heat once she'd matured, and he'd tested his boys almost immediately afterward. While they weren't mature enough to display hard evidence of their sub-gender, he'd determined that Sanji's genes was rare enough to qualify as an omega, like their mother. Only one other son displayed characteristics of an alpha, and it was important for the siblings to be separated to prevent incest. At least one of Sanji's and Law's children would then be given to Judge to breed with another within his bloodline – not a sibling of Sanji's but one of _their_ offspring; which made it a risk of corrupted genes, but it was necessary.

With the death of his only daughter, Judge was persnickety about his other children. His alpha child would come in handy once a proper omega was located, and while Judge was successful in terms of human breeding, Judge was also a man that couldn't be trusted. But to thrive, he needed Doflamingo's alliance in weaponry trade and defense. Doflamingo needed his science to power his territory; the marriage of their children provided a thin, successful line for them both.

Children were rare in this world – the mortality rate had sky rocketed once the human race began to divide upon the unholy appearance of zombies in world lost to monsters. Not only had they declined because of this plague, but the appearance of creatures that savaged the land for animal and human made it difficult to thrive. Territories were established under power and control tactics, and theirs only thrived because of the amount of alphas in control. All they needed were children to keep the territory prosperous, and Law had been the youngest until Sanji was forced to marry him. Doflamingo had a few running around the mansion, orphans he'd gathered (killed for) and he took good care of them, but only Law had displayed the alpha status. It wasn't certain for the youngest girls to become successful producers.

Food was scarce, women were barren, and men killed each other just to survive another day. Children were coveted with the hopes that they could provide to the human population, and that was why the sub-genders were introduced. Nature had taken a different path from its norm to fight against the unnatural.

With the decline of the human race, modern societies had adjusted to it. Technology switched and adapted, with magic produced to replace fuel sources and electricity. Almost as if they'd stepped back into time but also kept one foot ahead in the future. The alphas within Doflamingo's territories were only a few, but he kept them employed to power the necessary inventions required for humans to travel from place to place. Every territory had them.

The city they were taking Sanji to was under the watchful eye of his trusted officer, Trebol. Trebol would be the one to report back to Doflamingo over Sanji's aging, and would alert Doflamingo once Sanji started to mature and show characteristics of his omega status. He would be brought back safely for Law to breed with.

Corazon hated thinking of the kids as animals, but this was their status.

Omegas were capable of producing a child each year, and even a few would help. If Sanji should die, Doflamingo would find another omega for Law to breed with. The subgenders could only breed with each other until one died, severing the bond – an omega couldn't get pregnant by anyone other than their mate, _even if_ violated by other alphas. And alphas couldn't impregnate anyone other than their mate – even upon consent by a non-omega. The urban legend that they could actually be natural pairs was just that – a priest could force the bond with a ceremony, which had happened. Their scarred ring fingers was an indication of their successful bond.

The bond, if it should be severed by death, would fade eventually with time; allowing either or to take another mate if prompted.

Thunder boomed overhead, lightening zigzagging through the sky. The road they were taking cut through a mountain top, so all around them were steep hills with protruding trees, thick foliage that flourished unchecked and a dirt road that was occasionally maintained. The threat of danger was high, but Corazon felt confident that this trip would be uneventful. The falling rain caused the windshield wipers to work hastily, but the driver was conditioned and confident on the muddy road. He had his window opened faintly, allowing his cigarette smoke to be coaxed in that direction rather than filling the cabin with its filth.

The blue glow from Law's hands expanded then fizzled. His expression grew terse with concentration as he forced the size to grow larger than the last. Whatever gift he had been allowed, Corazon couldn't wait to explore it fully. Law was convinced it had something to do with the medical field, for he was successful in taking apart small animals and putting them back together, while healing basic wounds and sickness at the same time. It was such an awesome power – very useful. As expected of an alpha.

Once Law managed to coax the blue orb up and slowly expand it with careful concentration, Sanji looked away from the window and watched it cautiously. All at once, Law's expression turned mean and that blue light surrounded his bride's head and shoulders.

" _STOP_!" Sanji screamed at him.

"I'm going to remove your head and place it on your ass!"

Corazon kicked Law in the knee, forcing him to lose his orb. " _I swear_ , I will pull this coach aside and spank you with one of these branches out here," he warned him, Law looking at him sullenly. "Stop with your bullying!"

"I just _hate_ him, Cora," Law said with a sigh, resting against his window while Sanji glared at him balefully before looking out his.

"There's no reason to hate him. Hate Doffy."

"I hate him, too. _And_ you."

"Living life hating everything isn't always productive," Corazon said, lighting up another cigarette. "Find something else to focus on."

"I dreamed of having choices, and this isn't one of them."

"Fuck your dreams. This is your life, Law. Fighting it won't get you anywhere."

"I wanted to go to school to further develop my powers, and I can't even. Because of _him_. I hate our children already," Law added bitterly.

"They hate you, too," Sanji muttered.

Law looked over at him, thinking of a comeback.

"You're making an enemy out of a _nine year old_ ," Corazon reminded him, tossing out his cigarette butt. "You should feel _so_ proud of yourself."

Law looked at him because it did sound insulting when presented in that manner. "If only there were others my age to argue with," he then said with a roll of his eyes, looking out the window. "Are we there, yet?"

"…We'll get there when we get there." Corazon then pinned him with a frown. "It ever occur to you that you have your abilities to _protect_ your omega, not destroy him?"

"Ugh, so _grosssssss_ ….!"

Corazon looked to Sanji to offer some words of encouragement, but the kid was rolling his eyes. Corazon suspected Sanji would treat his encouragement similarly. So he tightened his lips.

"I can protect myself," Sanji muttered. In the year Corazon had grown to know him, it occurred to him suddenly that he hadn't even asked much about his background. The kid kept to his room or kept quiet, glaring resentfully at everyone and asking Doflamingo if his family wanted him back. It must've been frightening to be uprooted from everything Sanji had ever known and placed into this situation.

All at once, the coach and the accompanying vehicle lifted from the road and slammed hard onto the ground on their passenger sides, tires spinning uselessly as everyone was caught off guard. Their coach rolled up against the foliage downhill from the road, catching against some trees that bent awkwardly at their weight. Their seatbelts held them in place, and the moment their vehicle came to a rest, Corazon hastily unbuckled himself. The kids looked utterly shocked as they hung from their seats, the sounds of men shouting back and forth muffled by their position. Gunshots rang out, and Corazon clumsily unbuckled each child. He saw that their door was pinned against a tree, but the windows, small framed and bullet-proof, were easily unlatched if necessary.

Men were shooting back, but it sounded like an army was attacking them from the outside. Corazon was positive this attack occurred because of the children.

"Use your powers to get out of here, Law," he instructed, Law looking at him with terror. The boy struggled to produce his earlier blue orb, but the metal of their vehicles was then ringing noisily with gunshots. The three of them curled up, apprehensive to the attack, sure they'd be hit.

" _Law_!" Corazon commanded, Law struggling to concentrate on the task. But his panic, combined with his lack of confidence and knowledge, refused to produce anything at all. So Corazon reached out and unlatched and pushed through the window, cutting himself in the process as the glass shattered noisily – caused by the crash's impact against the tree. He forced each kid out before attempting to do so himself. But his larger body and the awkward bend of the window prevented an easy escape.

Law reached out to pull at him while Sanji cowered nearby, bullets raining around them as men shouted out. Thunder boomed overhead, lightening slicing through the sky.

Corazon was stuck, and he pushed Law away from him. "Take him and go! Run into the woods, go back to Doffy's!" he instructed him tersely as Law looked at him with panic.

"No! No, suck it in, suck it in come with us! I can't do that stuff!" Law exclaimed with terror, pulling at him again. Corazon swatted him away, reaching out to grip Sanji's arm.

"GO! Both of you! _GO_!"

After a few moments, Law grabbed Sanji by his cape and yanked him after him. Corazon watched them disappear into the woods, the foliage allowing their escape. Bullets rained around him, and he hastily pulled himself back inside, curling up. Withdrawing his own handgun from his jacket, he reached out and pulled up the car phone from the driver's side seat.

"That was fast," Doflamingo answered with a slight slur.

"We're under attack," Corazon said tersely, hearing his catch of breath. "The kids escaped, but the rest of us are pinned down here. Get here, to the top of the mountain. _Fast_."

"On our way."

After Doflamingo hung up, Corazon steadied himself on the seat. He kept glancing out the window, hoping Law was clearheaded enough to think about their safety. The bullets stopped hitting the coach, and it turned strangely quiet. For a moment, he thought that his men had succeeded in fending off the attack.

He held his breath, eyes widening with fright once he heard the rousing screams of the undead overtake the silence.


	2. Chapter 2

**: : Two**

* * *

Both of them raced through the woods, hearing thunder crash overhead. The terrain was steep and dangerous, but Law couldn't hear anybody following them. He wanted to look over his shoulder, but there were tree roots in his path and the ground was slippery. Panic over the attack had him near thoughtless, unable to think clearly. It brought back unpleasant memories, and he was starting to confuse those events with this one. The uneven ground with protruding rocks caused him to trip and hit the mud hard. He sputtered, fingers sinking into the thick matting of undergrowth. Sanji noticed that Law fell, but instead of going back to assist, he continued forward to put distance behind him. Law noticed then that he was moving _away_ from the direction of Spider Miles, and the thought that Sanji was using this advantage to escape motivated him to get up.

"You were behind this?" he accused fiercely, thunder rattling the trees overhead. Rain fell harder, building in large puddles in some areas. Flinging mud from his hands, Law picked himself up.

He couldn't hear Sanji's answer if the kid tried. The elements were just too loud. Law glanced back up the mountain. Once he realized people were racing down the terrain in uncoordinated action, horror shot through him. These people were rotting, missing limbs or pieces, wearing fresh spatters of blood. He hastily began running again, catching sight of the kid running a distance ahead of him. Law couldn't imagine wasting time to try and conjure up his magic, having been unable to do so in the coach.

He hoped Corazon was okay.

Lightening flashed above him and suddenly a tree top exploded overhead. Running as fast as he could, Law outraced the fiery pieces that showered down around him. The howl of the zombies caused his blood to run cold.

Sanji was climbing up a rocky incline, managing to get himself up and over before Law could reach the bottom of it. It motivated Law to follow, digging his fingers into the rock face and pushing up with shaking legs. Zombies slammed against the wall with frightful howls, reaching up after him. Their uncoordinated efforts left them slapping at the surface while Law struggled. Once he was over the ridge, he saw Sanji running alongside what looked like a fast moving stream. Propelled to follow, Law was back on his feet and eating up the distance with his longer legs. He looked back, seeing that they'd earned some space from the fearsome creatures. Thunder boomed overhead – he could see Spider Miles' pollution in the distance, but it was definitely a direction they were not taking.

The stream twisted away into a muddy, fast flowing river that propelled itself down the rest of the mountain in a winding path. The roar of its strength echoed throughout the mountain walls around them, carrying debris within its muddy water. Law saw Sanji looking down at the rushing river, lightly hopping crevices and crawling over bigger obstacles with all the dexterity of a damn monkey. Suddenly he leapt down and disappeared from Law's sight, the older boy gasping with horror. He could not swim – there was no reason he had to learn. But every part of him was strumming to get to the kid before he could completely disappear from him. Once Law reached that spot, he looked over to see a very slim ridge just below a jutting outcropping of rocks. After looking back to see the zombies racing towards them without pause, Law jumped down clumsily. His hands slapped the slick surface of the ridge, Sanji watching him with frozen dismay. The current of the river caught Law and yanked at him.

"Help me!" he shouted in panic. Sanji just watched him mutely, curling up against the wall without any indication to do so. The zombies' screams came closer, the sound of their hard breathing apparent over the rain and thunder. "Sanji! _Help_!"

The kid only stared at him without moving, and Law realized Sanji wasn't going to attempt the effort. Somehow, he put all his strength into propelling himself up and over the edge, crawling on his hands and knees to press against the moist wall of the ridge. He caught his breath, heart pounding fiercely in his chest as Sanji lost his shocked expression and looked at him resentfully. He hugged his knees as Law rested his back against the wall – both of them saw the zombies lunge suddenly towards the water, awkwardly flailing and catching in the current. They were swept away without any effort to protect themselves, not even seeing the pair crouched nearby.

Once it became apparent that they were safe, Law looked over at Sanji with fury. "You didn't even try to help me! You wanted me to die!"

The boy looked at him with anger. " _Duh_!" he then sputtered. "Then I could go home and we wouldn't be paired anymore."

Law caught his breath as he realized the severity of those words. Comprehension flashed through him with the missed opportunity, and he was mute with any sort of retort. Restlessly, he shifted about. Neither of them were that big, but the moist space they hid themselves in was cramped and cold. It occurred to him that he instinctively followed his mate, and Corazon's words hit him with startling clarity. He didn't feel anything special towards the kid. He _hated_ him. He _hated_ his role, he _hated_ the weight to the chain around his ankle. But he recognized he'd missed the opportunity for freedom.

As he was older and already recognized as an alpha, it made sense that his instinct to protect his mate would already be there. Resentment of the fact heated him from the inside out. He glared at the kid for his apparent freedom from the horrible detail. In his studies, he knew that alphas and omegas didn't just make the effort for just anybody around them – they instinctively attuned themselves to their mates. For Sanji to not feel a thing towards him signaled he was still immature. But Law himself was already shackled. He shivered violently, hearing Sanji's teeth chatter. Thunder rumbled overhead as rain poured down around the river.

"I think it's safe," Sanji then said, making to crawl out to look. "All the zombies are gone."

Law grabbed his wolf fur and yanked him back. " _Idiot_. We were attacked by people with guns. _Those_ guys are still out there."

Sanji remembered this fact with a startled look, and resettled back up against the rock wall. "Then…what do we do?"

Law shrugged once he realized he had no idea. "Wait it out. They'll be looking for us, but they can't find us here."

"Why would they want to do that?"

"Nobody likes Doffy that much. They'll kill us just to piss him off."

Wearing a worried expression, Sanji hugged his knees to his chest. "But we're kids…aren't we valuable?"

" _Stupid_ , it doesn't matter to everyone."

Sanji rested his head upon his knees while Law hugged himself. He was really regretting snapping at Corazon for the mention of taking a jacket. He then reached around himself, feeling for his bag – it was secure around his torso. The bear scarf he wore was enough to keep him dry and warm in that area, and so he unraveled it and attempted to cover himself with it like a shawl. Sanji watched him then attempted to do the same. His long hair was muddy, wet and almost unraveled, like a messy ponytail.

"Told you you should cut your hair," Law muttered, Sanji frowning at him. "It's just in the way. You look like a stupid girl."

"Then stop looking at me!"

They watched the river run noisily, thunder fading eventually and the rain letting up. Law found his eyes growing heavy, falling lull to the noise around them. When he awoke, it was because his instinct was ringing out heavily to incoming danger. He opened his eyes with a start, attuning himself to the noise around him. Once he saw Sanji resting against the wall with a tired expression, Law felt a part of him relax. Both of them then heard the sound of heavy footfalls, the sound of rocks being jostled with an adult's weight. Across the river, he saw three men in heavy camouflage and weaponry meander alongside the water. His sharp eyes caught sight of the fact that their rifles were not of Doflamingo's design. They were bulkier and with a longer barrel. They wore animal skin hoods and capes, footwear clearly of an outside design. But one of them was looking at a wireless phone while another gnawed at a huge piece of jerky.

Before Law could stop him, Sanji darted out past him, calling out for their attention. The three paused in mid-step as Law yanked him back with a sharp warning. The pair were sighted, the men looking at them with surprise.

" _Hey_ ," one of them said, bending at the knees to see them better. "What's this?"

"You idiot!" Law snarled at Sanji, wanting to choke him for the mistake.

"It's okay," that man said, releasing a friendly smile as he rested his hands atop of his knees. "C'mon out."

Law attempted to pull out his gun, but the space was too cramped and his hands were shaking badly. Sanji pushed away from him, practically tossing himself into the river. The men hastily reached out to grab him as he swam against the current with mighty effort, and Law was immediately moving after him, treated to the same effort. He yanked away from their helpful hands, grabbed hold of Sanji and thrusted the kid behind him.

He then realized what he was doing, rendered shocked by the instinctive gesture. Sanji pushed away from him, approaching the first man.

"We were chased by zombies," he told him, the redhead straightening up and looking around them with alarm. "From the top of the mountain. We crashed, and had to run here from the zombies. We were hiding."

"That was you guys?" the redhead asked with concern, furrowing his brow. He crouched in front of Sanji, looking at him closely. "Ah. You're a boy!"

He then looked to Law, who struggled with resist his recognized instincts to interfere. "And both of you are together? That's good. It must've been scary to experience all that, it's a good thing you two have each other. We saw the wreck, but zombies don't carry guns…"

Desperately, Law stepped forward. "Were – did you see any survivors? We'd come with a man, he's – he's very tall, blond, was wearing this stupid heart print shirt - !"

The redhead straightened up, looking at him with some growing sympathy. "I'm sorry," he said gently. "But he didn't make it. Those men were felled by bullets and finished by the zombies. Some people have learned to corral the undead to unleash as part of their attack. We didn't see anybody else since then."

Stunned, Law stared at up at him. "You're lying… _you're lying_ …"

The redhead looked at him with sympathy. "I'm sorry. Was he your father?"

"If they're dead," Sanji interrupted thoughtfully, "then that means we're free, right?"

"Oh?"

Law punched the kid in the chest. "Shut up! You don't know who you're talking to!"

"Hey, _hey_ ," the redhead said, interfering as Sanji made to retaliate. He stepped between them, looking confused. Then he looked to his friends with utter mystification, looking for their help.

One them, chewing on a piece of jerky, shook his head. "This is Donquixote territory, Shanks. These kids probably belong to him."

"That's right!" Law then said fiercely, nodding. "We belong to him!"

" _He_ does!" Sanji interrupted. "But I don't!"

The man named Shanks looked bewildered as he looked from one to the other. "Well, which is it? You do or you don't?"

Law didn't want to tell them of their relationship, but he couldn't have the kid just spewing out words that could endanger them both, either. Caught in the quandary, he reached into his bag and pulled out the gun. The three men reacted carefully, backing away from them as Law's hands shook dangerously, finger over the trigger. Sanji glared up at him.

"Get back," Law commanded, his voice childishly high pitched with panic. " _Get back_. You guys know exactly what happened! _You_ were behind the attack!"

"I don't like having things like that pointed at me," the bigger man said lightly, stepping in front of his friends. "So if you're going to use it, make sure it kills me."

"Benn. Roo. Calm down. They're scared kids," Shanks urged, patting Lucky Roo's shoulder. He then leaned up against him, looking at Law with such a calm expression that Law felt panicked as to why he chose to withdraw the gun at all. Rooted to the spot, Sanji just stared up at them wordlessly. "If you follow the river here, all the way back towards that mountain, you'll find the road back to Spider Miles. Take that, and maybe you'll find some help."

"I don't want to go back with him," Sanji said hastily. "Please sir, do you know the way back to Germa?"

"It doesn't matter, you stupid cow," Law snapped at him. "You'll just come back, anyway!"

Frozen, Sanji swallowed tightly as Shanks continued to look puzzled. Then he crouched away from Lucky Roo and Benn. Shanks looked to Sanji, eyes running over his muddied face and form before looking at Law. Ever so gently, he forced the teenager to lower his gun, and Law was incredulous as to why he obeyed the calm gesture when he felt so frightened and uptight.

"You're from Germa?" Shanks asked Sanji. He then looked to Law. "And you're claiming allegiance to Donquixote?"

Law found himself nodding with confirmation before he could even think about it. His mind strummed with a foreign sort of buzzing that didn't make sense to the situation. Shanks looked from one to the other then straightened up suddenly, a look of shock to his face. He glanced at his friends, who looked back with shrugs.

To answer Sanji's question, Shanks then nodded. "Yes. You'd actually go over that mountain over _there_ , and head north. But for _you_ , if you want to return home to Spider Miles, you'd follow the river. Are you both okay with that?"

"I can do it myself!" Sanji declared, looking in the direction Shanks had pointed. Law frowned down at Sanji, then looked at Shanks with suspicion.

"How old are you, kiddo?" Shanks then asked Sanji.

"I'm nine."

"And you?"

Law glared at him, refusing to answer. But it bubbled to his tongue anyway. "I just turned fourteen."

Shanks exhaled noisily, looking horrified. He looked to Benn, whose dark eyebrows lifted with surprise. "That's… _really_ young."

"It's not that uncommon around here," Benn told him. "It's not an unusual practice."

"But they're just _kids_!" Shank exclaimed, shocked. "When _this_ guy turns of age, neither of them are going to have a chance to actually live!"

"It doesn't mean anything to you guys!" Law snapped at them both, reddening. "Not that it matters, it doesn't mean a thing! We can go our separate ways, easy! Why don't _you_ take him? I'll find my own way home. Hopefully, something eats him on the way - !"

"Don't talk like that," Shanks admonished him, hands on his hips. "That's pretty mean..."

"I don't care! I didn't agree to this! This was bullshit from the start! Hey, if you're not under any allegiance to either of those guys," Law negotiated hastily, gun at his side, "then it's okay if _you_ take off with him. I can go home without him. I had plans, and none of them involved this stupid kid."

Shanks frowned at him. "You sure about that, kiddo? You'd be okay if you two were separated?"

"Yeah! I've been trying to get rid of him ever since - !" Law cut himself off then looked at Shanks with insistence. "Take him. I beg of you. Do him a favor. If you bring him back to either of those places, they're just going to pair him off with someone else anyway. Go make some money with him, or use him yourself. I don't care."

"So much _hate_ from such a young guy," Shanks commented with shock, Benn's eyebrows lifted with his own expression. Shanks glanced back at them, then looked down at Sanji, the boy looking at him nervously. He reached out and patted the top of his head. "Don't worry about it, kid. No harm will come to you. I guess we can do this. We were headed in that direction, anyway. We were out hunting! And you…you can go back home. Like you said, you feel nothing, anyway, right?"

Law nodded eagerly, putting his gun back into his bag. " _Great_! Okay, and I'll say nothing about you guys, too. You really helped me out."

Shanks looked discomforted but he exhaled heavily while the other two looked skeptical. Sanji looked up at them with worry, clutching his wolf fur tightly with both hands. Shanks crouched down in front of him, giving Sanji a gentle smile.

"I know a few kids around your age," he assured him. "You'll be safe with us. We'll return you to Germa if that's your wish."

"Yes, sir. Thank you," Sanji said gratefully.

Shanks then straightened up as his friends looked skeptical. Law shifted from foot to foot, eager to get back to Spider Miles without this brat being anywhere near him. "Good luck," Shanks then told him. "I hope you return home soon, safely."

" _Thank you_!" Law exclaimed, then hurrying up the river with an excited expression. Sanji frowned after him while the three men looked at each other with skeptical faces.

"Two hours, tops," Benn commented lightly, Shanks giving him a smirk.

"Four. He seems very stubborn."

"One," Lucky Roo decided with a nod, Sanji looking at them with a puzzled frown.

"That he gets eaten?" he asked as Shanks began walking, leading the way. Shanks patted the top of his head with a somewhat sad laugh.

"Sorry kid, but in your dreams," he said with a heavy sigh.

: :

It started off as a negative feeling. There was something at the back of his mind that made Law feel anxious. The further he moved away from that area, the stronger it grew. It pulled at his limbs, caused his stomach to knot – and yet Law convinced himself it was only because Corazon was dead and he was on his own, moving through a wilderness he knew nothing about. He attributed the anxiety to the unknown in his surroundings, and looked around with uncertainty. Birds fluttered about the in trees above him while the river raged near his feet. It was cold enough for him to see his breath, the dampness in the air threatening to turn moisture into ice. He gripped his bag with both hands and trudged on while taking note of the incoming evening.

Every step was a chore, weighted with uncertainty and fear. The knot in his stomach tightened with distance and his head felt light with rising unease. He paused to glance back, but he had been walking steady for quite some time. There were bends in his view that made it difficult to see that far into the distance, but he was only looking to see if he were being followed. After all, men with guns had attacked their convoy, and not just zombies. Doflamingo had many enemies, and Law hadn't a chance to see who it was that had.

Law continued on, vaguely out of breath with his efforts. With his shaking hands in front of him, he concentrated on his magic. The blue orb was nearly transparent as he realized he couldn't focus upon it, and burst without much effort. Tightening his concentration, he continued walking at a slower pace.

He turned suddenly and looked behind him as the feeling of uncertainty swamped him like an electric sizzle. He listened to the sound of birds calling out and thunder in the distance. Moisture fell from the trees with monotonous action, and the earth bubbled at his feet with the saturation of water.

The entire situation felt so _wrong_ that nothing could pinpoint what exactly it was he was feeling. He tugged at his bag strap, looking up and around him. He had an ache in his chest that he attributed to the thought of Corazon dying at the zombie's attack. To think he and Sanji had used that hopeful wish on each other made Law feel rotten. Surely it was a terrible way to die, so Law had to wonder if Corazon himself was now part of the walking undead. Was he one of those that had fallen into the river after them?

Emotions bubbled their way through Law's conscience and thoughts, and his steps slowed to a heavy stop. He was feeling frustrated, scared, hungry and tired, with a long journey ahead of him. He tried searching for the earlier relief he felt with Sanji being out of his hair. At least he wouldn't see that brat's face again. _At least_ Law would be able to make his own choices, now.

He continued ahead, teeth gritting together. Who were those guys, anyway? Just three random men, hiking through the mountains – they said they were hunters, but none of them had any actual kills on them. Law had a feeling that they were part of the attack. He whirled around, gazing in the distance. Doflamingo would want to know who killed his brother – Law shouldn't let them get away.

He turned around and began running back in that direction, arms pumping furiously at his sides. The relief he felt in doing something positive made some of the anxiety lift. All he could think of now was getting back to the group.

: :

The moon had risen high but the cloud cover was enough to hide it, at times. Wolves howled in the distance and night birds spoke noisily to each other with odd barks. Law was terribly hungry and exhausted, but his legs wouldn't stop moving. He kept the river to his left, having passed the point where he and Sanji had hidden hours ago. Fear kept him moving, he supposed. Without much light to go on, his steps had slowed and his hands were up to keep from bumping into foliage. He stumbled a few times, sending muddy debris into the river but he caught himself. All he could think of was Doffy praising him for seeking out Corazon's killers.

As he climbed over an uprooted tree in his path, Law lost his grip and hit the muddied rock below with a pained curse. He had to sit there for a few minutes, rubbing at his shoulder as it throbbed. The night was incredibly cold and dark, and he wished for the comfort of his bedroom at the castle. He'd be in bed by now, his books around him and the candles flickering at his bedside. Looking up at the sky, he saw the faint outline of the moon hiding behind a cover of clouds. He felt so alone. Terrified. Vulnerable.

Wolves barked suddenly, and Law tensed, unsure of what they were barking at. Cautiously, he stood and peered over the fallen tree, its branches casting out from its torn body like spiny arms. He turned to continue moving with a bright flick of orange flame caught his sight, and he gasped noisily, backing up against the tree in an effort to get away.

It was Benn, and he exhaled heavily as he straightened up from the boulder he had been sitting on. Waiting for Law.

"Looks like Shanks won this bet," he murmured to himself. "Six hours. You're a stubborn kid."

Law swallowed tightly, uncertain what that meant. Benn rummaged through his backpack and withdrew what looked like Tupperware. The jerky he pulled out made Law's stomach growl noisily, but he accepted the offering with a swipe of his hand. He crammed in as much as he could as Benn took a piece for himself.

"C'mon," he said. "They're camped up this way."

"How'd you know I'd come back?" Law asked, voice muffled by the tasty pieces of dried meat. He couldn't tell what it was – the flavoring made his eyes water as he chewed.

"Instinct, kid."

Law thought for a moment that his true intentions were found out. He cautiously followed after the man, who was using a flashlight to light his way. Law's legs felt like heavy weights, sluggishly moving just to keep up. Their camp site was located high up in the trees, he found, looking up with an incredulous expression. Held by ropes, pulleys and branches, Shanks and Lucky Roo had tied themselves to the trunks of the trees while a large hammock was stretched out in front of them. They had flashlights that shined down upon the pair below, Shanks calling out cheerfully.

Benn helped him climb, every effort Law made full of stubborn determination. Once he was perched safely atop of a large branch, he saw that Sanji was already rolled up in blankets and asleep within the middle of the hammock, crammed between the men's backpacks and supplies.

"Welcome back, kid!" Shanks said brightly. "Did you get lost?"

"No," Law huffed, feeling so exhausted that he couldn't feel too frightened by the heights they were sitting. Benn moved easily from one tree to another, taking his place on a branch over their position. He tied himself on with his cigarette still burning, he and Lucky Roo exchanging amicable confirmations on something Law didn't catch.

"Go ahead," Shanks then said, gesturing at him to climb onto the hammock. "That thing is tight and secure. It can hold all three of us without any threat of a tear."

Law looked at it with uncertainty, then shook his head with doubt. "No thanks. I'll sleep here."

"I'd really recommend that you do. You must be tired after all that walking. If I tie you to the tree, you're going to fall right out. Or are you scared of heights?"

Law grit his teeth. Not wanting to show the man that he was actually afraid, he then tentatively crawled out from his branch and onto the hammock. It was surprising by how secure it was – barely moving underneath his moving weight. There was enough room for him lay separately of the boy snoring softly from the center of it. He looked back at Shanks with apprehension, the man picking at his teeth with a toothpick and noticing his expression.

"You're good. You guys can rest easy with us here," Shanks assured him cheerfully, flashing his light towards Law so the teen could see what he was doing. "Sleep for as long as you need. We won't start moving until you guys can."

"Is it okay if I go along with you?" Law asked tentatively, measuring the man's trust. His heart was pounding so soundly in his head that he thought Shanks could hear it. He felt that Shanks would figure out his true intentions if he thought about it, so he tried not to.

"It's _fine_ ," Shanks assured him lightly. His scarred face looked truthful, and, despite his own caution, Law felt himself relax ever so slightly. "Go to sleep. We'll figure it out in the morning. Use that extra blanket, there. It's going to get cold."

Law found the rolled blanket in question, pinned to a pack. He pulled it out and flapped it out, covering himself moments later. His heart was slowing down, he realized, looking up at the dark treetops ahead of him. He thought about Corazon once more. He felt bad for being such a little shit towards the man, regret lingering heavily in his chest. But he also felt at ease, now. Maybe he could make it right, somehow.

Shanks shut off his flashlight and the darkness was abrupt. None of the men were talking now, the sound of the darkness around them sweeping over. Law pulled the blanket over his face. He didn't want them to see how fragile he felt.

: :

Sanji looked crestfallen when he woke up and saw Law laying there, sleeping heavily. Rubbing at his eyes, Sanji glanced around them to see that the world was waking up. Birds chirred noisily from the treetops around them, and rabbits foraged through the undergrowth below. The river's water continued to crash over the banks, overflowing with debris. Shanks was sleeping soundly from his perch, cradling his flashlight to his chest. Lucky Roo was in danger of dangling from his branch, mouth wide open in a soundless snore. Benn was smoking and squinting up at the brightening morning sky.

Sanji trusted these people. There was something inside of him that felt relaxed at the thought, and it had been awhile since he could feel that. He rubbed his chest then turned attention to his hair. Pulling out all the pins, he set them aside on one knee and clumsily braided it with cold fingers. Once he was done with that, he coiled it into a bun at the back of his head and used the pins to secure it into place. He would have to wait for the others to wake up in order to get down, and he pulled the blankets back around himself.

He couldn't help but glare at the teenager sleeping away from him. He didn't understand how and why Law was there when the kid had been nothing but pure _mean_ to him. It made more sense to Sanji that Law would leave Sanji behind to die, or whatever. He'd heard the men arguing amongst each other about how long it would take for Law to catch up with him, and while Sanji was aware that they were talking of their pairing, he was too young the understand the mechanics of it.

At his age, Sanji was not familiar with the whole alpha and omega thing. All he knew was that omegas were expected to have alpha babies and that they were looked down upon as dirty breeders. It was an ugly word that left everyone's mouths like a curse, and it was enough to have his older sister leap to her death to escape her fate.

Before the boys were tested, Reiju had told Sanji it was a fate worse than torture. She was to be married to an alpha and expected to carry his children, and that future had caused her to make a final decision. With him left behind with that memory, Sanji wasn't sure what to expect once he matured. Judge had treated him with such revulsion after the testing that he hadn't been able to process it fully before they were suddenly at the castle and he was being forced to take Reiju's place.

No one talked to him about it. They just gave him what he wanted and stopped fights before they could escalate. Law was so mean to him that Sanji had started to understand why Reiju did what she had. At his age, Sanji couldn't quite separate the reasons behind Law's actions and thoughts, and he couldn't understand why he was being treated so elusively. Corazon looked at him sadly, the maids treated him gently, and men looked upon him with calculation, like looking over livestock to be sold at auction. Sanji missed his family because of their familiarity, but he was too young to understand their rejection.

So he didn't understand why Law wasn't fleeing his responsibilities like he'd always begged for.

A few hours later, after supplies were gathered together and Benn busied himself making breakfast with Lucky Roo's assistance, Sanji kept to Shanks' side after determining that Law wasn't in any mood to express himself to the group on his reasons for returning.

"I want to go home," he whispered low, Shanks looking to him with sympathy.

"I know," Shanks returned at similar volume. "But will you be safe there?"

"Father kept us kids very safe," Sanji assured him, crouching at his side.

"But will he return you to Spider Miles?"

Giving him an uncertain look, Sanji answered, "Maybe not if I wasn't happy. I just wanted to go home, and Doffy wouldn't answer me when I asked. They said I had to stay there, but never said anything about father's reasons about why he wouldn't come get me."

Shanks' lips tightened, and he crouched down with him, folding his arms atop of his knees. Gently, he asked, "So you don't know why you weren't allowed to return home?"

"No. I mean, they said that we were married, but I'm too little to understand what that means, and no one said why I had to be. I can't trust Law's reasons because he's just a bully that never has anything nice to say."

"I see that. But maybe he's mad for similar reasons. It sounds like neither of you had a choice in the matter, and it's not your fault. His, either. It sounds like it's your father's fault, and this Doffy's."

Giving him a frustrated look, Sanji kept his voice low. "But I'm sure father will understand if I come back. I could tell him how Law treated me."

Shanks expression turned heavy with sympathy. "Oh, kid…no one has talked to you about this, have they?"

"My sister died because she was supposed to be his wife. I can see why. Law is _mean_. No one wants to be his friend."

"Was your sister an…omega?"

"Yes. Father _thinks_ that I am, too, but…he was just guessing. _I_ don't think I am. I want to be a man to marry a pretty lady, and have her have kids instead."

Shanks glanced at Law, seeing that the teen was glaring over in their direction. The sounds of the river and their lowered voices obscured the conversation, but Shanks could tell that the teen was aware of the content. But as young as he was, Shanks knew that Law had no idea how to intervene without revealing himself. Shanks knew the kid was trying desperately to hide their bond from them because he was taught appropriately to protect it from others. Safety considerations for both.

It was an awkward situation to be in, but something that pulled at Shanks' heart strings because they were just kids caught up in an adult situation neither of them could protest against because of their age.

He exhaled slowly. "I think…being of an outsider's opinion, of course, nothing official, that it's too late. Your father was right. Because an alpha cannot connect theirselves to someone who isn't their omega, and his actions towards you tells me he's already connected to you. You're _his_ omega. Everything he does keeps him rooted to you. _You_ can’t feel it yet because you haven't matured into your condition just yet, but he already feels it. He might say something different, but he's too young to understand it himself. I think that's why he's so mad all the time."

Sanji looked at him skeptically. "But Doffy says that he's only mad because Law can't perform his duties and that's why he's so frustrated all the time, and I don't know what that means because he always goes to school and does his chores…"

Shanks looked at him flatly. "This Doffy sounds like a fucking asshole."

"Law says that, too. He doesn't _seem_ mean, but everyone says he says things that I don't know, yet, and they tell him that and he just laughs and I don't get it."

Shanks rubbed at his temples, incredulous. He didn't know Doflamingo Donquxiote personally, but the man's brutal rep spoke volumes. To think he tortured these kids with saying these things definitely had Shanks agreeing with their consensus. He looked around himself, at his friends. Then glanced at Law once more.

"Maybe going back home isn't such a good idea after all," he said slowly. "For either of you."

"But _I_ want to. I thought that father didn't want me there because my older brother was an alpha himself, and he didn't want us fighting all the time like Law and I do."

"It doesn't sound safe. It sounds like you'll be returned to Spider Miles regardless of how you feel. Sanji," Shanks then said as the kid started to protest, "I'm sorry no one spoke to you about this. That sounds rather cruel in that…you'll have to find out for yourself what happens when you finally mature. That could take awhile. Maybe when you're his age now, and…I'm telling you, there's more to do out there than being…what you are. There are ways to prevent that. And it's not going to be something available to you as a choice."

"That's what Law says," Sanji said with uncertainty. "He wants his own choice."

"Then it's agreed. Both of you _want_ to have a choice, and I'm telling you, you're not going to have that if you go back home. If you guys come with us, I can take you to a place where you can have that choice. _He_ can have that choice."

Sanji looked puzzled, and Shanks realized that he wasn't going to get through to him. The boy was just a kid that only wanted the familiarity of his home and family, and wouldn't understand the intricacies involved. He asked, "May I tell him this?"

Uncertain of why Shanks wanted Law's involvement, Sanji froze. Law chose that moment to stride over, looking from one to the other suspiciously.

"What are you guys talking about?" he demanded.

"He's just going to get _mad_ ," Sanji told Shanks with exasperation as Shanks turned to face Law.

"Get mad about _what_?" Law snarled, looking at him with accusation. Shanks appealed for his attention.

"How about if I told you have a choice about delaying the inevitable? You sound like a reasonable guy," Shanks then said. Law then perked up, but he still retained a suspicious expression. "Hear me out…"


	3. Chapter 3

**: : Three**

* * *

"Suppressants?" Law repeated dubiously, furrowing his brow while Sanji looked up at Shanks with confusion.

"It's a medicine that'll help omegas control their heats and give alphas a break in their instinct. Each is formulated specifically for your sub gender so that if you want to go to school," Shanks addressed Law directly, "you won't be driven mad with the distance and need to be close to your omega. And for you, little one, it's a medicine that'll allow you to live your life without undergoing the whole getting pregnant thing. When you're both ready to consent to each other, then you can ease off the medication for your own comfort."

"But I'm still _bonded_ to him," Law pointed out. "So this shit is _pointless_."

"Unfortunately, that aspect can't be helped. BUT if you had those suppressants, you would've already found your way to Spider Miles by now."

Law thought about it, thinking of how driven he was to return to the group but underneath the intention of getting Corazon's killers to Doflamingo. He was confused because he was absolutely sure that was all it was. This instinct of his towards "his" omega could not be the driving force behind all his damn decisions! He felt upset just thinking about it.

"I can find that stuff here," he then declared.

"Then why hasn't this guy given it to you, yet?"

"I'm sure all I need to do is ask. I just haven't yet because I wasn't…aware of it…" Law trailed off. He was quite aware that Doflamingo had provided him with the schooling necessary to advance his general studies, but the suspicion that he was only given what the man felt was appropriate hit him. He must have worn his feelings upon his face because Shanks once again bent to face him directly.

"It's up to you what you want to do," Shanks told him firmly.

Law glanced at Sanji, who looked utterly lost. Law considered the space he needed to get away from the brat to tend to his own needs, to determine his own path. He wanted to go to school off territory to advance his studies and he knew he didn't want to think about this kid the entire time. It was disappointing to know that the bond couldn't be severed.

He swallowed tightly, at a loss for words.

"We have to move if we want to reach our destination," Shanks then said, straightening up. "We've phoned ahead to let them know why we're late, but we can't linger any longer. We can take you to a check point where you can get into touch with your Doffy while you think about it."

"I still want to go home," Sanji then said hastily. "Can you still take me home?"

"Kiddo," Shanks said with heavy regret, "understand that even if we take you back to Germa, you will be returned to his place. There's nothing we can do about that."

Disappointed, Sanji wore a frown while Law considered the possibilities. The three men began walking, the pair of them watching after them. Law understood that the choice was simple – he agree to this land of opportunity, and it was his responsibility to return back to Spider Miles. He had to tell himself that he couldn't trust Doflamingo to allow him to take these suppressants if Doflamingo hadn't told him about them just yet. But if he chose to disappear, there was no question Sanji would have to go with him. Law would be compelled to follow after him regardless of his wants.

His face tightened with frustration. Sanji sensed his ire, looking up at him cautiously.

" _If only_ …" Law muttered bitterly, fists balled at his sides. "If only you weren't around! I wish you were dead! Then I'd be free!"

Sanji scowled up at him, then his eyes darted beyond him. "You can't swim, right?"

Puzzled by the seemingly random question, Law paused to reflect on that issue. Before he knew it, Sanji slammed into both his legs, toppling him right over the river bank and sending him crashing into the rushing waters. Sputtering as he flailed, Law was shocked that the kid attacked him so venomously. He struggled to keep his head above water, shouting with shock and surprise. His legs kicked as he fought the river's current. Before he could drift further away, he saw Sanji looking after him without any sense of regret on his childish features.

It was Benn that fished him out of the rushing river, Lucky Roo grabbing hold of his legs to do so. Grunting, Benn pulled Law out from the river while Shanks looked back at Sanji with shock. Law recovered slowly, coughing out dirty water and wiping his face with cold hands. Sanji snapped his fingers and gave a disappointed gesture of his arm.

"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!" Law shouted murderously, struggling to rip himself out of Benn's grasp to go after the kid, who turned and ran with a fearful cry.

"Calm down, boy," Benn coaxed him, holding him by his arms as Lucky Roo snickered. "I don't know how it came to this, but I assure you, there's always a different route to take in life. It's all about finding the right road."

"Bullshit! Bullshit bullshit bullshit!" Law snarled, kicking wildly as he struggled to get out of his grasp.

After a chuckle, Shanks hurried after the boy that was running down the length of the mountain to get away.

A few hours later, the group arrived at a small village that had a few roads and moving vehicles. The fields were productive, there were running lines throughout the area, and people gave them friendly looks. Shanks bought them both meals that were wrapped in deliciously crunchy leaves, filled with content that were cooked atop of heated rocks. They expressed themselves joyfully while eating, sitting together amicably while Benn and Lucky Roo ventured off to other parts of the village to conduct their own business. Shanks bought his own meal, the cook talking to them merrily while people gawked at the children with interest.

Aware of the attention, Law lost his light expression as he realized how many adults were peering at them openly. He felt nervous all of a sudden, unsettled and anxious as he chewed pensively. Sanji smiled at them, legs kicking as the pair were settled atop of a horse's hitching post. Shanks relaxed next to him, using an elbow to gain Law's attention.

"It's okay to feel this way, buddy," he said low, wearing a jovial smile himself. "Your instincts are on protective alert for any potential danger in a new place."

Law stopped chewing to glare at him, rice and spices clinging to his cheeks and chin. He looked over at his companion and shoved him off the post, causing Shanks to choke on his meal while Sanji lost his onto the dirt. He sprawled there with an undignified protest, sitting up slowly.

"I don't give a _fuck_ about him," Law snarled at Shanks, resuming eating with a furious expression.

Sanji stood up to glare up at him furiously, brushing his knees of mud. He considered a point of attack while Law tensed, waiting for him to do so. Deciding that no method was appropriate, Sanji then carefully retrieved what was left of his food. He ate it slowly, Law looking at him with disgust. Shanks gave Sanji his meal while he took his ruined food from his hands.

"Finish that. I'm going to go find a long range phone," Shanks then said with a heavy sigh. "Please…you're in a strange place, watch each other's backs. Yell my name if you need to."

They watched him walk away, asking for use of a telephone. A grocer invited him into his place, the wooden porch ringing of their footfalls as Shanks crossed it. People continued to gawk at the children as they passed, and Law felt like some sort of circus freak as they did so. Sanji looked up at him.

"Perhaps you should go with them to find these suppressants," he suggested clumsily. "And I go to my home."

" _Stupid_. We'd still wind up in the same place eventually."

"But Doffy never said anything about this medicine," Sanji argued with him. "Wouldn't it be useful?"

Law continued to consider this option. He would love to experience that exuberant freedom away from this kid, to make his own choices. He wondered why Doffy nor Corazon said anything about it. They only spoke of Sanji's future maturation, giving Law a very small window of freedom before that time. He looked down at him. The kid was small and stupid – once he was Law's age, what would he be like, then? He knew that once omegas reached maturation to begin breeding, something happened. Hormones that raced out of control, followed by the irresistible need to breed. Fever chills, irritation of the gut, cramps, near uncontrollable sexual urges…as an alpha, Law had no choice but to react, his own hormones racing out of his control in response.

His face screwed up with absolute disgust as he tried to imagine this kid squirming all over him, wanting to breed. He'd read the books, and studied the diagrams. The thought made him want to vomit. Sanji noticed the look and stared back at him with insulted grace.

"It would," Law eventually agreed. "By the time you get to be my age…well… _disgusting_ …"

"Then you should _go_."

"I can't just go on my own! I have to take you with me!"

"You don't have to!" Sanji exclaimed with exasperation. "That's just your own stupid bullishness talkin'. Just let me go on my own and don't follow me."

"I can't help it! That's what I've been trying to say!"

"I would have been going to school on my own! I don't even know why you even came with me in the first place! This sucks…I want to go home…!"

Law made to retort, then recalled his lame excuse of wanting to make sure Sanji got there. He recalled the amount of suitcases and trunks that had been piled into the coach and car. He realized that it was an excessive amount for just Sanji. He was rendered silent as he realized Corazon had packed for both of them, anticipating this refusal of separation. Once again, his head pounded with comprehension of the matter with the fact that this was inevitable.

He slid off the post with a heavy expression. "Um…we could go," he said slowly, "but you have to come with me, too."

"I don't want to!"

"I'm not going to tell you again!" Law snarled at him. "I can't go off by myself!"

"Why? Are you scared? You're just a scaredy cat who can't go anywhere by himself!" Sanji then huffed, glaring at him. Law reached out and grabbed his messy hair, shaking him from side to side.

Something caught his attention. He wasn't sure what it was, but as Sanji grabbed his wrists and began kicking him in earnest while cursing him, Law looked off to his left. There were a group of men standing there, watching them. They weren't wearing the colors of the villagers, nor did they have the style, but looked to own a large truck with a cage-like back. There were animals in there, helpless ones that cried out with agitation as they struggled to escape the confinement. The villagers seemed to look away nervously from them, avoiding the truck with noticeable effort.

Law shifted his hands from Sanji's hair to his shoulders, guiding him towards the grocery store. Before they could get far, Sanji protesting noisily as he wiggled out of his grasp, two men with similar styles to the others stepped out in front of them. Law grabbed hold of Sanji, yanking him back up against him with his arm around his chest and the other fumbling with his bag. Sanji realized there was danger present and stopped fighting, looking up at the men with wide eyes.

The pair began to move towards them, Law fumbling with locating his handgun. But the sharp metallic click of a safety unlatched overhead and the pause in the men's actions caused everyone to still.

"Slow down there, boys," Benn warned the men while placing a reassuring hand on Law's shoulders. "These kids are spoken for."

Benn was giving an assessing look from the man in front. "They sure are," he agreed. "These children belong to Doflamingo. We intend on returning them to him."

Law swallowed tightly, only faintly reassured by Benn's presence. The villagers seemed to recognize trouble, hastily clearly out of the area.

"I don't know them," Law then told Benn breathlessly. "They're no one we know."

"You hear the kid? He doesn't know who you are," Benn repeated, still calm and composed.

"He wouldn't, but we buy from Doflamingo regularly," the man replied smoothly. He withdrew a handgun that gleamed brilliantly underneath the afternoon sun, and Law recognized the detail as being part of Doflamingo's factories. He gave a reluctant nod to acknowledge this, but his senses were still ringing. "And he's missing his children. Someone attacked their convoy last night. He's feeling upset. It'd cheer him up if they were returned to him."

"Then we'll take care of it," Benn assured him, directing Law to start walking away from them while following close behind him.

"What's going on?" Shanks asked cheerfully, eating a banana as he noticed the confrontation. He didn't look ruffled, but he patted Law's head with one hand as he stood near Benn. The other two men looked at him with irritation, then lingered on the kids. Law found himself tightening his arm around Sanji, who was thankfully silent doing the exchange, moving with him.

"Just looking. It's been awhile since we've seen children," the man replied, his tone thick as his eyes lingered on Sanji before lifting up to Shanks'. "They're a healthy set."

Law felt uneasy with the way he'd said 'set' – he felt that they'd already been identified as such and couldn't help but feel slightly panicked.

"Good lungs, good eyes, but their ears are in need of a little fine tuning," Shanks said with a laugh, finishing his banana while Benn kept his gun on the pair that waited. "We'll get them home just fine, so thanks for the offer of your assistance!"

With a mean glare set on him, the man nudged his friend with an elbow. Both of them walked away, and Law peered passed Benn and Shanks to see that their friends hadn't relaxed at all. But once the pair joined them, they exchanged words that were kept between them. He looked to Shanks nervously as the man wiped his hands on Benn's shirt.

"You think they were the ones to ambush us?" he asked Shanks low.

"Oh, no doubt," Shanks told him without hesitation, hands on his hips. "They're scavengers. They don't got any animals in that trap, they're zombies. Those guns they have? They're too new to be their own."

Law looked back at the truck with terrified eyes, realizing that the cries coming from it was definitely something inhuman. He wondered if Corazon himself were in there.

"You're _squishing_ me, you dumbhead," Sanji protested then, struggling to escape Law's arm.

"They can't do anything to us," Law then said, releasing him as the kid huffed and fixed his hair once more. "We're of no worth to them."

"Au contraire, mon ami," Shanks said with a clumsy accent, "not to add to your anxiety, but they can kill you and take the kid to use or pair with another alpha of their choice. Or kill _him_ and hope you have real good powers they can use as a weapon for themselves. Do you have any, by the way?"

Law felt ill at the thought of others' options as Sanji froze in mid-action. Caution caused him to utter, "No…"

"He _has_ powers, but he doesn't know what to do with them," Sanji answered with a roll of his eyes, Law looking at him with severe warning.

"We don't need to know all that," Shanks assured Law. "Let's skedaddle. We've used what we needed here and should be on our way. Oh, did you decide on what you wanted to do?"

Panicked, Law's too serious amber eyes coasted around the village. Those men were still staring at them from their truck the cries of the undead screeching out over the village's din. He looked to Sanji, whose head was bent forward as Benn helped him pull his waist length hair into a ponytail, tied tight with one of his own ties. He then looked to Shanks, who was watching Law panic with a light expression of his own.

"Potentially," Law said slowly, "if Doflamingo looks for us, you'd be in trouble."

"We'll be _fine_ ," Shanks assured him with nonchalance. He began walking, looking too relaxed and comfortable while Benn followed. Sanji asked where Lucky Roo was, and Benn's answer went unheard by Law as Shanks answered him. "Besides, I'm a good liar. I'll just tell him we picked you guys up after rescuing you from other head hunters and you can make up your own excuses along the way."

Pensively, Law exhaled slowly. "I am curious about the suppressants…"

"Trust me, kid…they'll save your life one day."

"Are you an alpha?"

"No. And if I was, Benn here would be in trouble."

" _Hah_!" Benn laughed, giving him such a look of revulsion that Shanks looked insulted.

"You'd be surprised at how rare you guys actually are," Shanks then told Law, ignoring Benn. "The only reason why you happen to be surrounded by them is because you guys are bred around each other. For _his_ family to have two of the sub genders and you – who are your parents, anyway? You don't speak of Doffy or the other guy like they're yours…"

Law looked to the muddy ground. Lucky Roo joined them at that moment, sheathing what looked like a machete underneath his cape. Law noticed that it was bloody, but the bigger man said nothing about what he was doing or where he'd come from. A glance back told him that those men posted around the truck were gone.

He looked to Shanks. "Mine were killed. Zombies. I…Doflamingo found me and took me in. When I was _his_ age."

"Were any of your parents an alpha or omega?"

"No. I knew none of that." But Law looked uncertain, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets. He found himself furrowing his brow as he thought about those horrible events. Found himself thinking how lucky he was for Doflamingo to find him when he did. Uncertainty crowded his memory.

Shanks let it go. "Then, off we go. I'll take you both to the land of opportunity. After that, you can figure out what you want to do."

"Am I still going home?" Sanji asked hopefully.

"Shut up. Stay out of adult conversations," Law snapped at him.

"You're not the boss of me. But I do want to go home!"

"We can drop you off after we get this mess sorted out," Shanks promised him.

Law glanced at him skeptically. In all this time, these hunters had not hunted any animal, nor did they mention the subject. When Shanks looked at him, he grinned at the teen and Law wondered if he should feel suspicious.


	4. Chapter 4

**: : Four**

* * *

Law sat by himself on a stump amidst some saplings as the trio of men engaged into conversation with a few other passerby. Sanji was chasing after a butterfly with a stick and a cry of joy. Shivering as he wore a pensive frown, Law found himself thinking of the home he missed - his _real_ home. He missed the loving hands of his parents, the voice of his younger sister and the feeling of comfort in his own surroundings.

But that night he lost them had been so chaotic – fast, shadowed, with screams coming from every direction and the world seemingly at war with itself. The world had ended some time ago, destroying countries and sending survivors into creating territories that aided them in survival. His home territory was neutralized in a few small hours, with him as the only survivor from that province. His survival was accidental – he'd fallen into a canal, nearly drowning himself and washed up outside the walls without the zombies identifying him as a living creature. Doflamingo and the others had been passing by, and the man had saved him by taking him in.

Now, being away from him, Law had to wonder if it had been coincidence that Doflamingo had been there. He'd never thought of that before, but these things that Shanks was telling him of other territories – of which Law never had a chance to investigate because there was no such material at the castle – was being revealed to him as a brand new world that gav him options he'd never thought to have.

He was scared and doubtful at the same time. He wanted to think that Doflamingo had saved his life and treated him well, but was it the truth? Should Law doubt that the man and his group had been coincidentally wandering around outside Flevence walls around the same time the zombie attack occurred?

Sanji caught sight of him staring anxiously at the group, and made a face. So Law's temper snapped and he picked up a rock to throw, the kid darting to safety behind Lucky Roo. Law settled himself, his face and neck flushed red with anger.

Corazon had often mentioned his hormones were out of whack, both maturing teen and alpha genes creating an explosive mess, which explained his short-fuse. 'It's all part of growing up!' he'd say as Law threw fits he couldn't seem to control, as his emotions heated and staggered into different territories. Trembling, Law sat back down and reached up to grip his scarf with both hands.

He couldn't help feeling angry all the time. It felt like he had absolutely no choice to make one of his own in this world that only teased him with the concept. The passersby went on their way, and Law cautiously emerged from his place of hiding. That little brat was at Lucky Roo's feet, begging him to allow him on his shoulders so he could see. It was surprising to see Sanji so childish when the last year was spent hiding in his room and being generally unpleasant to everyone that attempted conversation with him. Law was reminded that _this_ was his age. It still made him feel sick that he was bonded to this younger person. But the thought of being paired with Sanji's older sister made him feel like he'd escaped something bigger. He wasn't sure why he thought that.

He placed a hand against his stomach as nausea made him ill. Shanks noticed and fell back to walk alongside him.

"Diarrhea?" he asked with concern, Law scowling up at him.

" _NO_ ," Law answered impatiently, then glanced at him cautiously. The road they were on was well worn by foot and animal traffic. They didn't pass any vehicles out here, and the thought of those men back in the village with their zombie load made Law feel constantly stressed. He didn't know where they were going but he knew the men had slowed down just for them.

At the same time, he thought that it was so _strange_ Shanks knew how those men used zombies to attack convoys, and to suddenly appear on the riverbank despite using open and obvious roads to get around. That river was located away from all the main roads, so how did Shanks _know_ …?

What if they were behind the attack? If such, where were he and Sanji being taken?

He swallowed tightly as Shanks admired the birds above their heads. "Um…are there…kids my age there?" Law asked tentatively.

"Yeah," Shanks answered with a nod. "Definitely. Of _all_ ages, so maybe you can visit awhile as the doc examines you. Get a feel of the place, get some mailing addresses confirmed so you can be sent these suppressants. Maybe you'll make some good friends you can pen pal after…"

Law clung to his scarf with an apprehensive look. Sanji was using his stick to hit all the highest branches he could from Lucky Roo's shoulders. Benn was smoking and walking with his hands in his pockets. Law wondered when would be the appropriate time to escape, as it seemed at least one of these men were awake at all times. While the idea of having a suppressant to help with their hormones was wonderful, what if he found himself trapped there without a way out? Lured with pretty promises that weren't actually real?

 _Who could he trust_?

He swallowed tightly, looking at Shanks from the corner of his eye. The man had the air of laziness about him, but those other two men looked at him for complete guidance. Shanks wasn't an impressive man at first glance, so why would two capable men follow him?

He swallowed tightly. "So, when are you going to come out with the truth?"

Shanks looked at him with confusion. "Truth?"

"It wasn't that much of a coincidence that you were suddenly there, out of the way from the main road, looking for us," Law snapped at him apprehensively, hand snaking to his bag while Shanks glanced at the action with nonchalance. "You knew exactly what happened, you know who we belong to, and all this time you claim to be hunters but you've sighted nothing and have nothing to show for your hunting. What you're really hunting is children!"

Shanks looked at him with shock, hand pressed to his chest. Benn looked back at him with amusement, Lucky Roo and Sanji hurrying ahead with car noises leaving the bigger man's mouth. Law watched the redhead drop to his knees dramatically, fingers curling into the dirt.

"You've cut me deep, kid," Shanks cried, looking terribly childish. "You're right about one thing – I'm a shit hunter. I make too much noise when I'm walking around, and Benn smokes, and Lucky Roo can't keep his feet to himself – we were practically banished for our shitty hunting skills. We're surviving off beef jerky and leaves, and whatever bug flies into my mouth as I'm talking! We were told not to come back unless we had something dead in our hands, and none of us can kill anything right…!"

Embarrassed that Shanks was making such a scene, Law looked around himself with apprehension, his hand loosely curled around the gun. Shanks wiped his face and sat back on his knees, looking dejected as the others walked ahead. He looked at Law with a tilt of his head.

"But you sure are observant," he added, rising to his feet. "A lot of kids don't question the small things like you have. To be honest, you're right about one thing – we were on the river bank that day looking for survivors. We came across the shooting after it happened, and saw those things racing down the hill at top speed. The rest was easy to figure out, and nobody out here likes Doflamingo. We were hoping to encounter some officers of his, not his kids."

Law frowned at him with anxiety as Shanks brushed himself off, looking down at him. "But you had had a choice to leave, and you chose not to."

"I'm stuck and bound to that kid!" Law protested helplessly.

"You had plenty of chances to leave, and we'd have let you," Shanks said. "But don't misunderstand our empathy – you kids clearly don't have choices. I presented a few to you, and it was your interest alone that motivated you to walk alongside us. You can turn right around and follow this road back to Doflamingo yourself."

Law grimaced as he glanced in that direction. He fiddled with the gun. He had so much doubt and anxiety inside of him with these things that he wasn't sure who or what to trust. Doflamingo said nothing of the suppressants – he only alluded to the fact that once Sanji matured they'd start having kids. He never gave Law an option to delay that sort of life once he was ready.

Shanks gave Law a friendly smile. He gestured beyond them, Law looking back apprehensively. "You can go back home."

"But I'll need to take that guy with me."

"It's not up to us your decision. I mean, we'll be bummed if he's kicking and screaming all the way back but that's your responsibility as his alpha," Shanks said grimly, hands in his jacket pockets as Law considered the possibility. "And considering how short tempered you are, it sounds like a _very_ long return trip home."

Law sighed noisily, but only because the thought of fighting constantly with Sanji without interference from others made him feel tired.

"Plus there are guys looking for you that aren't affiliated with Doflamingo, the wilderness, monsters, zombies…you have a gun, but can you shoot it?"

Law looked at his handgun with some doubt. "But we haven't run into any monsters."

" _Yet_ ," Shanks confirmed with a wink. "C'mon. They're leaving us behind."

After some reluctance, Law slipped the gun back into his bag and trudged heavily after him. He doubted himself and he doubted Shanks, but the worst doubt he had was having confidence in himself.

Near evening, they pulled up to a small village outside of a rocky mountain pass. The walls were created out of stone and metal, and the gates manned by men in casual wear with no weapons present. It overlooked the ocean, which looked brownish grey with their distance. Here the villagers greeted the group by name, waving and shouting at them from the inside fence line. The fields gleaming within the high wall line were currently being groomed by men and women. One little boy ran out from a nearby cabin, growling as he did so. He slammed right into Shank's right leg and knocked them both over, Shanks laughing jovially as this happened.

"You say 'no' to me, but 'yes' to _them_?" the boy cried as Shanks struggled to get loose. "You said you'd _never_ take care of kids! Who are these guys?"

Before Shanks could answer, an older man marched out from his cabin, while a pleasant faced woman followed. She paused to greet Sanji cheerfully as a female before realizing her mistake.

"Luffy had been watching you since that bend over there, and he's got a lot of anger, Shanks. You've been gone awhile, and you show up with a couple of kids," the older man huffed, hands on his hips while Law's upper lip curled with disgust at the boy. The boy looked at him accusingly while wiping his eyes. He had dirt and food stains on his face, wore a faded t-shirt over ripped jean shorts and ratty shoes. His black hair was tangled and sweaty at his forehead.

"Who are you, kid?" he was demanded of.

Law looked to Shanks for advice, the older man brushing himself off. "Luffy, we found these two. This one is Law, and that boy over there is Sanji."

Luffy whirled to look at Sanji with big eyes. "I thought that was a _girl_!"

"I'm obviously not, moron," Sanji retorted, brushing strands of hair from his face.

"He looks like a girl!" Relieved, Luffy ignored the blond's next reply to look at Shanks. "And you just found them?"

"Yes, I actually guiding them to - !"

"And they aren't really going anywhere with you, right? You guys didn't run into any monsters, huh? It'd be a real shame if you did!"

"Absolutely none," Shanks assured him, bopping his nose. He looked to the woman. "We found some tired and hungry kids. You have any openings?"

"We're not a tourist trap," the older man snapped at him before she could reply. "We can't always take in everyone that comes here! These kids – they're dressed too fine. Who do they belong to that could be looking for them?"

Shanks stopped Law from answering with a hand to his shoulder, and Law found himself quieting despite his urge to answer. He wore a puzzled look while Shanks answered for him.

"There was a car crash," Shanks explained lightly. "The boy knows his way back and he will be helping his step-brother along, but they are tired and hungry."

" _Oh_ ," the older man then said, looking from Law to Sanji with some confusion. Law approved of Shanks' made-up relation, unable to trust anyone around them. Luffy looked up at them with such a cheerful look that the young kid caused Law's eyes to dart around with suspicion. He spotted two other boys watching from the hill top, and their young appearance told him he wasn't going to be in the company of kids his own age. Shanks patted his shoulder.

"Go introduce yourself," he encouraged Law lightly. "We're going to get comfortable here for tonight and move on in the morning."

"I'm going to show you my prize winning bullfrog! He has horns!" Luffy declared, racing off as Sanji looked at Law with uncertainty. Law gave him a dirty look so Sanji flipped him off and raced after the boy merrily, both of them causing a look of worry from the adults present.

"Be on alert!" the woman called after them, before looking to the other boys. "You two, keep an eye out on those kids!"

They confirmed reluctantly and Shanks and the others left him behind while Law stood there. He adjusted his hat as the other two boys approached him with cautious expressions of their own. Only one looked inviting while the other sneered at him from head to toe.

"Another little _rich_ kid," he sneered while the other looked at him with a frown.

"What's wrong with wearing a little finery that _you'll_ never afford?" Law asked in return, glaring at him. He was clearly taller and older than they were, and held that over them with a little lift of his shoulders. "Little shit."

"Ace, be nice. Hi, I'm Sabo, this is Ace," Sabo greeted, reaching out to shake his hand, but Law glanced at it with distrust before nodding. He already felt off-put by Ace's attitude, sure that he would never fit in with the two. "The little guy that took off with your sister is Luffy."

"It's a dumb _boy_ ," Law corrected him impatiently. "That's my…step…brother."

" _Oh_! I was wondering because of the way he was dressed, but some girls like that sort of style as well and - !"

"How old are you guys?"

"Twelve and ten," Sabo answered, gesturing at himself and then Ace. "We've settled here for a good part of the year after we lost our colony. Do you still live in one?"

Law reluctantly decided that he wouldn't connect with anyone else his age here. He set his jaw, unsure of he wanted to extend the effort.

"You're a pretty rude kid, huh? Stuck up, even," Ace muttered, glaring up at him bitterly. "You lost your manners on that road?"

"Shut up. I don't have the mental motivation to bother with all sorts of stupid kids," Law then muttered, pushing past them to find the adults.

The pair looked after him with separate expressions of dissatisfaction before glancing at each other. They then sauntered off after the other pair. Law glanced back at them then around the area, finding that it wasn't dangerous by any means – it didn't look like something anyone would take to right off the road like the last village. The gates had been closed behind them when they arrived, and Law realized it only opened because they knew Shanks. That lingering feeling of distrust persisted.

That night, Makino served them all dishes that were warm and multi-colored. Most of the villagers were visiting noisily with the trio, and the kids were tucked away at a table in the back. Sanji was busy picking apart his plate and demanding to know the identification of each group while Ace and Luffy crammed food into their mouths like they were eating their last meals. Sabo spoke patiently to Sanji, and Law separated his food groups with a lazy brush of his fork. He was hungry but he was on high edge as well. They were pretty much ignored by the adults in the room, which made Law feel normal.

He noticed that Shanks and Makino were flirting with each other – subtle expressions here and there, different smiles that lingered…it made him sick. He looked at his companion across the table and watched him and Luffy talk to each other from behind tortilla masks, using "robot talk". Ace looked like he wanted to join in but looked at Law reproachfully; much like a kid that wanted to look as grown-up as possible in front of another kid. Because of his age, Law wasn't usually looked up to as an ideal kid in front of others so the attention made him uncomfortable.

"You're too serious," Ace then accused him as Luffy and Sanji erupted into laughter. "Why don't you lighten up, kid?"

"Pull yourself out of my ass, you're making my throat itch," Law told him, giving Ace his most serious glare. Ace scowled.

"Ace, these guys survived a zombie attack," Sabo told his companion, hitting him with the back of his hand to get his attention. "I just heard those guys telling these other guys that."

Ace lightened his expression a smidge, reluctantly backing down. "Sorry," he muttered. "That sucks…"

"We were on our way to school," Law then said, delicately picking at his rice. This area's food looked different to him, and he had no way of identifying the dish. "And we were attacked…"

"School? You'd willingly go away to _school_?" Ace asked skeptically. "Are you sure you weren't already a zombie yourself?"

"I need an education, something to broaden my mind and encourage my personal growth!" Law snapped at him. "I don't want to be stuck thinking like a stupid idiot for the rest of my life!"

" _Whew_!" Sanji said, removing his tortilla mask and looking at the others. "He talks to everyone the same. This guy's a total shit head."

"You can cuss?" Luffy asked, eyes wide.

"I cuss _all_ the time," Sanji bragged.

Called out for his unpleasant behavior, Law scowled, shoulders drooping. "I just don't have time for stupid kid shit," he then muttered bitterly. "I need to be an adult."

"Why?" Sabo asked curiously, tilting his head. "It's okay to be a kid!"

"I don't have time to be a kid when I have _this_ idiot to watch over."

Sanji huffed, fork on table. "You don't have to! No one said you did!"

"And he's a jerk on his own," Law muttered. "He makes things difficult because he's so selfish…"

"No one said you had to!" Sanji shouted angrily at him, whipping his loose ponytail behind him. He picked up his empty plate and intended on throwing it at Law, but Sabo caught it quickly. He set it carefully atop of the table after giving them stern looks.

" _Enough_ , now," Sabo commanded firmly, strangely appeasing for the whole group. Sanji crossed his arms and stared off to the wall while Law scowled at him with menace. Ace had already pillowed his head atop of his folded arms to take a nap while Luffy looked a little worried. "I'm not sure how your society works, kid, but I'm sure there's plenty of time for both of ya. Soon there might come a day will you'll be sad you didn't get to be a kid. So…enjoy being a kid for now."

" _Yeah_!" Luffy cried. "It's so fun!"

"It must be easy thinking like an idiot," Law muttered, rolling his eyes. "Not pushing yourself to be any better than that."

"Don't waste your time trying to change him," Sanji told Sabo with sympathy. "I've lived with him for a year, an' he still isn't changing. He's just a natural bred jerk."

"Well, maybe you should be nicer to him?" Sabo asked, furrowing his brow while Sanji made a face. "Have you tried to just _talk_ to him?"

"He told me the first day we met that my name was 'bullshit'," Sanji told him. "And that he hoped I die. And that I look like an ugly girl. And I stink. And that he's going to use my eyebrows as a dartboard if I don't shut up…"

Law gave a grim smile because it was pretty much the truth. Sabo looked at him, horrified while Luffy sneaked out pieces of food from their plates without their notice.

"That isn't nice," Sabo then said slowly, a nervous dart of his eyes taking in the merry diners of the room. "I understand that the marriage wasn't your fault – "

"It was Doffy's and my dad's," Sanji said hastily.

"Don't talk about it, stupid! You realize talking about it will endanger both of us?" Law snapped at him, then cut himself short with horror once he released that vital piece of information.

Sabo and Luffy looked confused. "Your dads married each other?" Sabo asked tentatively. "That's what makes you step-brothers?"

Law startled at the concept, then wore a terribly disgusted expression while Sanji laughed noisily.

"No, _we_ had to," Sanji explained, showing them the burn scar on his ring finger while Law fretted noisily, unable to reach out to physically stop him. Both Sabo and Luffy looked confused. "I have to have his babies."

Both Sabo and Luffy burst out laughing, causing Ace to snort himself awake. Law reddened, cutting a hand over his throat repeatedly as Sanji looked confused.

"Not everyone has that life, you dumb idiot! Not everyone is aware of the concept!" Law hissed at him. "You can't talk about it to everyone that crosses your path! There's a reason Doffy had us hidden away! People try to _kill_ us for this fact!"

"But _everyone_ else knows what it is – ! I never had to hide it from anyone else!" Sanji protested, looking alarmed.

"Because we don't interact with anyone else! This is the first time we've been outside that territory meeting new people! Just _don't_ talk about it! It's a shameful subject for both of us, because we're just fucking _breeders_ for them!"

Silenced, Sanji looked dejected as Sabo and Luffy finished laughing. Ashamed at being regarded as a joke, Sanji's eyes welled up with tears and Law looked away with humiliation of his own. Once they noticed that their new friend looked quite upset, both boys quickly changed their attitudes.

"I'm sorry," Sabo apologized, looking from Sanji to Law with alarm. He noticed that the older kid looked quite uncomfortable, and that both of them wanted to disappear. "I didn't know…"

"It's nothing," Law hissed at him, rising from the table. "Leave us alone. Let's go."

Sanji quickly left his spot at the table to follow after him, Sabo and Luffy looking after them with alarm. Ace wiped his eyes.

"What's goin' on?" he asked, noticing that his plate was emptied. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Sabo said slowly. "Something strange was said and suddenly that big kid got really mad at his little step-brother."

"That kid said they were _married_ ," Luffy snickered, finishing off the contents of Law's plate. Ace picked at his nose then wiped at his napkin.

"Little young for that, eh?" he then commented with an expression of disgust. "None of them look very happy at it."

"I fear we must've stepped on some tails," Sabo said fretfully. "We said something very upsetting."

"Oh, enough with the polite talk," Ace scoffed, hopping down from his chair. "Let's go follow them. They're stupid enough to wander into dangerous places, being all angsty. That big kid looks like he's stupid trouble. And stupid Shanks is too busy flirting with Makino to notice that his kids ran off."

"Then we should know better," Sabo muttered, following after him as Luffy hurriedly crammed food into his pockets and chased after them.

Once outside, Ace caught sight of Law leading Sanji towards the cabin Shanks had been gifted for the night. Animals shifted restlessly around them, dogs barking out with lack of interest as the pair used the faint light of the torches ahead to guide their way.

Law was saying something to Sanji that had Sanji nodding hastily, both of them so ill matched that Ace found it funny that 'marriage' was even involved. Step-families seemed better suited.

"Hey," he called out, both of them pausing to look back at them. "You can't be wandering off in the dark like this. There's monsters that come down from the mountains to hunt at night. And you ain't even looking up."

" _Monsters_ ," Law scoffed, reaching out to grab Sanji by an arm despite his tone. "The only monsters out there are those fucking zombies and other people."

"I'm serious," Ace said grimly, looking up at the dark sky while Sabo held onto Luffy's shirt. "They fly down from the mountain and pick humans up like hawks do their prey. They don't even sound like nothing, either. Just suddenly you're here and then you're gone. You gotta carry a torch with ya."

" _You_ don't have one," Law pointed out while Sanji looked around himself nervously.

Ace climbed the nearby pole and pulled off the torch. Hopping down, he held it proudly while Sabo and Luffy hastily crowded around him. "You hold it up like this so that the flame hurts their feet when they come at you," Ace told Law. "Go ahead. Go grab one."

Law frowned at him, then considered the sheer mountain sides around them. Despite the coziness of the security of the walled village, he did think about the things that descended from the sky. He'd read plenty of subjects that had monsters in them, and flying ones were common.

He released Sanji's arm and focused on the next pole. Then looked at Sanji. "Go get it."

Eager to please him, Sanji made to climb the pole but didn't have the dexterity and strength Ace had. Sanji gave up with a heavy sigh.

"I can't do it. Why can't you?"

"Because _I don't climb poles_ ," Law growled, embarrassed that this task was harder than he wanted to admit. Luffy laughed noisily.

" _I'll do it_!" he offered, hurrying over to making a high jump before awkwardly sliding back down the pole. He tried again, grunting with each struggle. Sabo and Ace watched his efforts with all the embarrassment two older brothers could when their younger sibling failed them. Luffy panted, holding his genitals with a painful tremble and looking at Ace. A few moments later, he rounded his eyes and made his lower lip quiver.

Ace rolled his eyes, slapped Sabo with the torch, and retrieved the intended prize himself. Sanji looked at Luffy with calculation, the boy roaring out with approval as Ace succeeded. Ace handed the torch to Law, who clumsily held it in the way Sabo demonstrated.

"What kind of monsters?" Law then asked curiously.

"Half eagle, half human," Ace replied, leading the way. "They nest halfway up that south wall, and come down here sometimes when we're noisy. And it always gets noisy with Shanks an' 'em are here."

"What is Shanks, anyway?" Law then asked him, reaching out to grab Sanji's wolf fur as the kid intended on running off with Luffy. Annoyed, Sanji walked alongside him while Sabo chased after Luffy with a yell. "He's not a hunter, is he?"

"He is," Ace said, tilting his head with a confusion. "He's a good one, too. He ain't hunted though, with you guys. However he found you, he must've decided it wasn't a good time to hunt."

"He must hunt humans, not animals," Law stressed. "Because it was suspicious the way he found us."

"I would just be grateful for how the circumstances went, rather than questioning them," Ace told Law sternly, Sanji dragging his feet dramatically as he walked alongside Law's taller form. "Kid, stop bein' a jerk! Straighten up! You ain't four."

Startled at the admonishment coming from another kid, Sanji stopped dragging his feet and walked properly next to Law.

"Both of you ain't mannered," Ace then scoffed, giving them snide looks as Sabo opened the door to the cabin and Luffy lunged inside. Law felt insulted by the accusation but it was a little true – they were sheltered and spoiled so much that he wasn't even sure how to interact properly with kids who weren't in his shoes. "Here's where you guys will be staying."

"Where do you guys live?" Sanji asked him politely as Sabo found the lights and flicked them on. Luffy immediately began to climb and hop from hammock to hammock, causing Sabo to scold him.

"Down near that stream over there, where Luffy showed ya his bullfrog," Ace replied. "He and I come from a trash town, so we feel better making a home underground. Sabo was like you guys, all rich an' stuff, but we got through to him."

"What colony?" Law asked, curious.

"Don't matter. It's gone, now. Was raided by zombies. Ain't much of us left behind, now. We get along here because these people are kind to us. But once we get strong enough, we'll be leaving, soon. Wanna see more of the world."

"Are…are any of you alphas or omegas?" Law then asked tentatively, narrowing his eyes.

The boys looked at each other with confusion. "No. All us equal here," Ace then answered for them, Sabo looking at Law with a shrug. Law realized that neither he nor Sanji would be threatened by other subgenders, and relaxed slightly.

"Fine. Thanks for bringing us here."

"Well, wait. You guys are the first kids we seen in awhile. Those guys ain't gonna stop visiting for awhile, so let's share stories about the outside," Ace then said, propping their torches up into a holder near the cabin. "We've been here these whole six months, so what territory you guys from?"

"I'm a Vinsmoke!" Sanji shared cheerfully, Law reaching out to close his mouth before looking at the others with warning.

"It doesn't matter where we're from," he said sharply.

Ace crossed his arms. "Oh, so you _that_ important, huh? Gonna be used for ransom and shit?"

"I'm aware that where we are from inspires negative feelings about us, and I do intend on returning there," Law then stated firmly. "His name and mine aren't that important."

"Yeah, whatever," Ace muttered, and Law wondered why he was allowing this younger child to bully him around. "Trust me, we don't care about that sort of stuff. Anyone with a damn status don't mean shit to me, or them. All it is is just words and titles, and ain't no words or titles gonna stop no zombie from eating you."

"You just know it all, don't you?" Law challenged him, sitting at the single table in the corner of the room while Sanji removed his fur and tossed it onto the hammock nearby. He then hopped about, trying to remove his shoes. Luffy hurried over to help him, both kids giggling as they turned it into a game.

"Ace would know what he's talking about," Sabo assured Law with confidence. "I have a royal family, but none of it means much to me now that I know this one. I have so much fun with them than I did with my real family. And I actually have people here that care about me."

"I don't care about that," Law muttered bitterly. "Because everyone you know and love will die anyway. So I try not to."

"You sound like you already experienced," Ace said, sitting on the floor rather than the table or nearby chair. "Who'd you lose?"

After a few moments of consideration, Law said reluctantly, "My real family. I was then found by this one. They gave me a home, so…I'm grateful."

"Zombies?" Ace asked.

"Yeah. Flevence. You wouldn't know where that is."

"I do too," Ace retorted with an eyeroll while Sabo lit up. Both Luffy and Sanji were chasing each other with Sanji's smelly socks, giggling and shouting in the background. "You ain't the first kids to lose family like that. But it don't give you the right to treat other people like shit."

"You aren't the ones standing in my shoes to know my reasons," Law told him.

"You're just a kid like us," Ace retorted. "So don't get all high and mighty because someone gave you a title. Why's that title making you act all secretive then, huh? Why can't you say anything?"

"I'm _not_ scared," Law denied.

"No need for that with Shanks and those guys," Ace said. "They the safest guys we know in these parts."

"Neither of you guys are valuable to others like we are," Law said grimly.

"What makes you so special, then, huh?" Ace challenged him.

Law tightened his lips, aware of the dinner scene. He glanced over at Sanji, to see him whipping his head from side to side as Luffy farted on him. They were having fun and Sabo was giggling at the sight of them, but it was uncomfortable to see because Law couldn't see any fun in their actions.

Ace stared at him, waiting for his answer. When he realized he wasn't going to get one, he narrowed his eyes.

"If you guys are gonna be together for awhile, then maybe start treatin' each other like allies and not enemies," he said. "You wanna live? Act like it. Let's go, Sabo. His face makes me want to punch it. And I don't punch no sissy girls."

Law reddened, incensed by the insult. But he did nothing to retaliate as Ace led the way out of the cabin. Luffy called out his goodbyes while Sabo encouraged him to follow.

Sabo looked at Law with empathy. "It's okay to let your guard down, sometimes," he said. "Not everyone out in the world wants to hurt you."

Law watched him go, the sound of the closing door behind Sabo loud. Sanji looked at him reluctantly.

"Why'd you start a fight with that boy?" Sanji asked him. "He was nice."

"He was a _jerk_."

"You're the biggest jerk here, but he was trying to give you good advice."

"I don't want his 'good advice'."

"I liked them," Sanji said with a sigh, climbing up onto his hammock. "And I hope we stay a little longer. What if we don't run into anymore kids?"

"I don't care," Law mumbled, looking down at his hands.


	5. Chapter 5

**: : Five**

* * *

When Law awoke the next morning, he realized that his entire body was sore, with feverish chills that caused his teeth to grit. His head was ravaged with a headache, filled with an uncomfortable weight that made movement difficult – all of his muscles were heavy and tender. Realizing he was very ill had his heavy eyes closing with exasperation. Panic, frustration and a sense of fear ran through him as his sluggish mind cursed at him for ignoring the signs from the day previous. He struggled to unwrap himself from his borrowed blankets and bear fur scarf and realized he wasn't alone in his own hammock. Sanji was curled up against him and his added warmth was surprisingly comforting, Law realized with some rising shame. He wanted to rock the hammock to knock the little kid away, but his limbs refused to work and it was just…so… _warm_.

How the kid even got up there from his hammock across the room without Law even noticing made Law feel like he'd missed something. With some horror, he wondered if he did it using his abilities.

He closed his eyes once more, seeing that everyone else was still fast asleep and hadn't seemed to notice anything out of place. The hammock was uncomfortably crowded but necessary to combat the chills that ravaged him. He could hear Sanji breathing lightly as he slept, the kid facing him with his arms folded to form a pillow for his head. Law hated to admit it, but he felt at peace.

He woke up sometime later to feel cool hands on his forehead and opened his eyes to see Makino looking at him with worry. Every part of him felt worse than it had earlier. He had been moved from the hammock to a cot that felt more supportive. Judging from the daylight and activity around him, Law had to guess that it was mid-morning. He was slightly embarrassed that someone had to handle him in this manner.

"He can't travel like this," Makino said to Shanks, withdrawing a thermometer from her dress pocket and gently pressing it into Law's mouth. Shanks was standing at her left shoulder, looking down at Law with worry. "He's much too ill."

"Now what? Do I just leave him here?"

"It should be fine."

" _No_." Law struggled to sit up and found it difficult to do so. He panted with effort, fever causing him to flush. He sank back with a huff while the others fretted quietly around him. The moment he steadied himself, a cold compress was settled over his forehead, Sanji holding it delicately in place. He was quiet and awkward about it but Law found himself just as awkwardly accepting the gesture.

Makino took the thermometer from his mouth and checked it. Her tongue clicked against the back of her teeth as she looked to Shanks.

"Whelp, you're baking internally," Shanks told Law with a shrug. Law did notice that his hand was holding onto his hunting rifle, and there was a sense of tension in the room that he could feel but not identify. "There's nothing we can do about it."

"I can't just…stay here," Law argued, finding it difficult to speak as he wanted to.

"We can because what if you get sick and die?" Sanji asked, leaning over him to frown. "Then you'll be blaming _me_ for it from hell itself."

"I _would_ because _you_ almost let me drown! _Twice_!"

Sanji snickered while Law looked at his response with insult.

Shanks laughed noisily at the exchange while Makino looked startled. Clapping a hand on her shoulder, Shanks said, "Don't worry about it, it's an inside joke. But we can't stay here. We do have to move on."

" _We_ can't just stay here," Law told him plaintively.

"You'll be fine," Shanks assured him, hand on his head before giving a few pats. "I'll send someone to retrieve you guys soon. But rest up and recover here without rush, alright? Makino here will take good care of you."

"What's wrong with him?" Ace asked, inserting himself into the crowd while looking at Law pensively. "Is he a zombie, yet?"

"Should we kill him now, or outside?" Luffy asked, eyes wide and round with excitement.

"… _Shanks_ …!" Makino whispered, Law realizing why they were so concerned. He panicked, wondering if this disease was truly the point of his illness.

"He's _not_ infected," Sanji informed them, giving them all looks of impatience. But he pressed a hand repeatedly against Law's mouth, as if encouraging him to bite him. Law sputtered and whipped his head away from that gesture, Sanji then indicating his safety with a wave of his hand. "He wasn't bitten or anything. _I_ tried killing him in the river, so this is just him being sick."

"Oh, _thank god_ it's only because you're an aspiring murderer!" Ace said with relief, hand on his stomach while the others seemed satisfied with the show of proof. Only Makino continued to look uncertain. "I was thinkin' I would have to take the task on myself."

"Oh, you kids," Shanks laughed. He bent to pat Ace atop of the head. "Aren't you the little alpha wolf?"

"I'd rather be a tiger than a shitty little wolf," Ace muttered, Shanks drawing his hand back like he'd been burnt.

Sanji looked down at Law, seeing the older boy panic at the possibilities of turning into a zombie. He then pressed the compress over Law's nose and mouth while Luffy watched with shock. "I will rid of you and save the village!" he whispered as Law swatted at him.

Amidst the wild struggling behind him, Shanks told Ace, "I'm going to entrust these two to you. Teach them the tricks of the trade, alright? You did a fine job with those other two. But be patient with them – they can be _kind_ of a handful…"

"I see that," Ace said dully, pointing at the attempted murder.

Shanks hastily yanked the compress away from Sanji and pulled him down from the cot while Law sucked in air. "Silly kids, I told you already – you can't keep trying to kill each other like this. Makino, honestly, usually they're very well behaved. They're just joking right now – "

"No I wasn't. This might be my only chance of escape," Sanji said, furrowing his brow.

Clearing her throat nervously, Makino looked at Shanks for a detailed explanation. But he sighed heavily once he saw Law resettled in his bed, looking sick from the near death experience.

"If…they should receive visitors looking for them," Shanks said low as the kids busied themselves with various questions as to when Law was expected to turn into a zombie, "immediately give them up. The older one knows how to explain himself clearly, and the youngest will follow. There is no need to hide or lie for them."

Makino looked at him with uncertainty, then exhaled. "And if they should ask who brought them here…?"

"You can say it was me."

"And what if they don't want to go?" Makino asked him. "Because I would think that they would have left by now if they wanted to…"

Shanks glanced at the pair, seeing Law snap at the kids while wrapping the blankets back over himself, the boys all looking properly scolded. "Do not, under any circumstances, interfere. Just give them up. If they have the will, their next decision will be something decided on their own terms."

"But…they're just _children_ ," Makino whispered. After several moments, Makino then nodded. Shanks brightened his expression, taking a few steps forward to break up the building shouts.

"Why don't you let those boys get you some new clothes, take a bath, and have Makino fix your hair?" Shanks suggested to Sanji, capturing his attention.

"Uh _hhh_! What about Law?"

"He can stay here and be sick. And maybe Makino will hand bathe him."

" _NO_!" Law snarled at him, face and neck red while Makino laughed. Shanks looked at Law with a startled expression, as if uncomprehending why this was being rejected. Approaching him once more, Shanks lowered his voice.

"We have to move on, kid," he said. "We can't stay any longer. If those guys catch up, it's up to you what you want to do."

Law stared at him fuzzily, then said, "I want those suppressants."

"If you stay here long enough, I can arrange that."

"Do you think that Doffy is looking for us?"

"Those men we saw yesterday were scouts. You chose to hide away, which I thought was funny at the time. But you must've did so because you are open to other options, kid. You've always complained about not having a choice, so what makes this any different?"

Law frowned at him, brow furrowing. Exhaling lightly, he looked at his folded hands while Luffy, Sanji and Ace argued with each other on the way out from the cabin. Makino waited nearby, listening without understanding too much of the conversation.

"If they should come here," Law said slowly, "then what do I do?"

"Whatever your heart wants, kid. But these people, if asked, _will_ turn you both over to them without a fight."

Law looked at him with a start. "Then what the hell am I supposed to do if they're just to give us away?"

"I mean, wouldn't it be easy for you? After all, you pledge allegiance to him, right?"

Law chewed on the inside of his cheek, then narrowed his eyes.

Shanks then winked at him and turned away, Law looking after him with frustration. But his heart pounded noisily and he realized that the redhead was right. He had a choice to make. Makino left with Shanks, and Law resettled in his bed, pulling his blankets over his shoulder. He felt a little restless, but the illness left him unable to physically do anything about it.

: :

A week later Law was outside, pushing himself to climb up the pole that Ace had days ago. He didn't want to admit it out loud, but he was ashamed that he wasn't as active and strong as the other little kids were. It had been so long since he'd allowed himself to run and jump and play with others that these simple things were difficult to pick up on as a burgeoning adult. His body was still recovering from his illness, but his will and stride for perfection was stronger. He climbed the pole using the very same actions Ace had used, every untrained muscle straining to do so. He grabbed the lit torch from the top, then put it back

Sliding down, he walked over to the next. Everyone was eating in the dining hall, and he was the only one walking about, trying to better himself. He gripped the metal pole within both hands and hauled himself upward, grunting with the effort. Once he grabbed the torch, he set it aside and jumped to the ground instead. But he was satisfied that he accomplished the action with a quality he could approve of. He scanned the night skies, looking for any sign of the monsters. He then wandered into the dining area, the adults greeting him cheerfully. They expressed earnest feelings in that they were happy he'd recovered well. Everyone in the village was surprisingly friendly and polite – Law wasn't used to that. He felt awkward, nodding at their greetings before taking his seat at the table. He thought they'd comment on the clothes Makino had given him to wear because they'd clearly belonged to someone else, once. The long sleeve shirt was too big for him, but he'd tucked it into some jeans that had to be rolled up a few times at the hems, and used a belt to tie it all in place.

"Why are you all sweaty?" Sanji asked him with disgust while Ace looked suspicious, Sabo curious and Luffy taking advantage of eating everything he could before he was found out. The kid wasn't wearing his finery, but a shirt with a lion's face on it, some tattered shorts and his leather shoes. His hair was pulled back into a badly held ponytail, strands escaping everywhere.

"No reason," Law answered, batting Luffy's hand away and digging into the meal with relief. "I just wanted a little exercise."

"You smell."

"Your face does, so stop using it to talk to me!"

"You feeling better?" Ace asked Law as Sanji huffed and returned his attention to his food. Both Sabo and Luffy fought each other over the last drumsticks. "It's good you're not a zombie."

"Has anyone asked for us, yet?" Law asked instead, pinning him with an intense look.

"No. No one's come up to the gates. This place doesn't get a lot of attention, you know. We're off the main road."

"Can you show me a map of this entire area?"

Minutes later, Ace spread out a map that had been marked over with the village names and territories. It was located in one of the bigger buildings, in a basement that had once been a wine cellar, Law noticed. There were shelves upon shelves of books, and trashcans stuffed with rolled papers. In the corner was a small desk with writing utensils and copy paper. There was a printer and an old computer set up against the wall. The very sight of that thing caused Law to cringe because Doffy owned more modernized equipment. Luffy wanted to show Sanji how to play "Oregon Trail" on it, Sabo moving to the door to stand guard.

Law looked the map over, seeing the village where he and Sanji currently stayed. According to it, they were nearly two hundred and fifty miles away from the road they'd crashed. He looked at Ace with shock and alarm, quite positive that they had not walked that much distance within these past few days. They hadn't even taken a vehicle. Twenty miles, max, he'd figured.

"Are you sure this is absolutely correct?" he then asked Ace with a puzzled expression, looking it over with doubt. Ace nodded, crossing his skinny arms over his chest as he fought the chill in the air.

"Yeah," he answered. "See, this was our colony here…"

He pointed at a section away from the Donquixote territory, nearly five hundred miles away. "But we wound up here because of Shanks. He walked us here."

"So…you _walked_ all the way here?" Law asked him incredulously, heart pounding. "No vehicles…?"

"No. I mean, yeah, we took mountain shortcuts and all that, but it wasn't very long." Ace then looked at him with confusion. "Why you all worked up?"

"Because, moron…" Law paused in mid-word, staring at the map. He looked over his memories, encountering the points where he'd been quieted or had an action calmed. "He's an alpha…"

"What does that even mean? That's, like, the second time you've mentioned it…"

Law grit his teeth because he wasn't going to tell a ten year old what it meant without drawing himself into more laughing misunderstandings. He found it odd that, despite his obvious status, he wasn't under any threat from the man. Alphas were known to attack each other if they were singles, and Doflamingo had warned Law he'd encounter this because Sanji had yet to come into maturity that would allow Law's pheromones to reflect a lack of threat towards others.

He then considered that perhaps Shanks was already aligned with an omega that left him feeling secure. So, of course he thought of Makino, but he couldn't sense anything about her that would reflect any pheromones.

Maybe Shanks continued journey home was to his omega, which would explain his urgency to travel.

Ace tapped on the map, drawing his attention down. "So it'll take those guys a month or so to explore other towns for ya, until they can get here. So…what you gonna do?"

Law frowned at him. "I don't know," he mumbled. "Didn't Shanks say he'd send someone back for us? Where was he going from here?"

Ace shrugged.

"Well, where does he live? Where was he trying to take us?"

" _I_. _Don't_. _Know_!"

"Then _who the hell_ can I talk to that _would_ know?" Law asked with exasperation, Sabo looking over with worry. "Why am I relying on _you_ for answers, you're just a dumb kid!"

Huffing, Ace glared up at him. "I might be just ten, but I've been around! I seen a lot! I know a lot! And you're just a pampered baby that should know better than to question someone else's authority!"

Law rolled his eyes and looked over at the others. He snapped his fingers. "Sanji. _Heel_."

Sanji gave him a dirty look but dragged himself over, Luffy following at his side. Looking down at him sternly, Law asked, "What did you hear from after I fell back asleep to before I came to dinner, tonight?"

Sanji sighed noisily before taking a deep breath. "Makino was upset at Shanks for leaving you here cuz you were sick and everyone thought you were a zombie, and when it turned out you _weren't_ a zombie, they were upset that Shanks just _left_ us here because old Al over there said that Lucky Roo said that they weren't expected to be back for at least two months because Shanks was busy meeting with other people, and then when the mayor asked if someone was going to come get us, Shanks told them _maybe_ , and he wouldn't say whom and I just thought that _I_ shouldn't say who because Shanks was looking at me like _I_ shouldn't and," Sanji took a deep breath, Luffy watching him with an incredulous expression while Ace looked impressed, "so I didn't, I just said that I don't know who was supposed to pick us up and how was _I_ supposed to know that when I'm little and don't need to pay attention to those types of things and so the entire place has been on edge because people think that they're coming to get us, and it's not Shanks because no one know where Shanks went or who he'll send to come get us before _those other guys_ do and he said that you didn't want to go back home and I _kinda_ don't want to go back home because there's no kids to play with and Makino said to Ace and Sabo that if strange people come we're supposed to go outside the walls with them and Ace will pretend that they just ran into us traveling on the mountain pass. _Whew_."

Law absorbed this information while Ace looked startled at the revelation of these plans. "When did you overhear that, you snoopy kid? Nobody can keep a secret with you around!" Ace said angrily, causing Law to think that the suggestion was supposed to be done in secret. He couldn't get angry with it, because it only made sense for peaceful people to want to avoid any type of trouble Doflamingo was known for.

"When you guys thought I was napping," Sanji told Ace slyly. Luffy looked awed, fist in hand, like it was something he'd do, too. "People think I'm just a stupid kid, they don't know that I'm listening."

Law looked to Ace smugly as Ace looked annoyed. "In the morning, you show me where you're supposed to take us. That plan sounds good, but not good enough. I might think of a better one."

"So, are you staying?" Ace asked him skeptically.

"I want to go home," Sanji mumbled. "To my _real_ home…"

"Why?" Luffy asked him curiously.

When Sanji made to answer, he suddenly looked as if he were fumbling with the reasoning. "Um," he then stuttered, reaching up to fiddle with his messy hair, "because…my family."

"I thought they didn't like you," Luffy commented with a puzzled look. "Because you said they didn't like playing with you."

"Well, sometimes, but…it's my _home_ …"

"We like playing with you!" Luffy then said brightly, hands on his hips. He leaned in to hug Sanji with excitement, then pressed his face against Sanji's head with a deep inhale. "Me most of all!"

A deep, unsettling rage flashed through Law like a wildfire. He was startled at how aggressive his senses turned, how furious he felt just seeing that. He ended up grabbing the table with both hands to restrain himself as Luffy pulled away, saying, "You smell like chicken!"

"What kind of compliment was that?" Sanji cried with dismay, both of them oblivious to the older teen's reaction. Ace looked over at them with a shake of his head, amused at his little "brother's" antics.

"Luffy, you think anyone is attractive if they smell like food!" Sabo laughed.

Seeing that it wasn't what he thought it was, Law brought himself to calm. He swallowed tightly, unsettled by his reaction. It disgusted him because why was he, a fourteen year old, thinking so possessively of a nine year old that was absolutely oblivious these things? It made him so helplessly frustrated that his eyes burned with unrestrained emotion. It _just_ _wasn't fair_ that he had to feel these things without a choice in the matter.

Once he was able to operate, he wiped his face and took on a pensive look. Ace looked back at him while the two younger boys fought over each other's smells, Sabo laughing in the background.

"Well?" Ace demanded.

Law hesitated to answer Ace's question, unable to dwell into it with a damn ten year old. He fiddled with the sleeves he had to roll up his wrists. "I want to see my options, first. And stop bossing me around, before I give you an atomic wedgie so hard that Sabo will feel it."

"Try it," Ace hissed at him murderously, Law realizing he had to actually follow up with the threat. "I've already decided that you're a weak kid with that bookish face you have!"

Sanji and Luffy looked over to see Law yanking Ace's underwear up so hard and high that the boy's shrieks of indignity turned to horror and pain. Sabo winced from the doorway, reaching back to his own backside with sympathy pain. Law twisted Ace around to see Sabo's reaction, and Ace looked at Sabo with absolute horror.

"Don't test me again, brat," Law then told Ace, dropping him to the floor with a wipe of his hands. He was actually surprised that he had the strength to do that – he'd doubted himself with any type of rough play, but it appeared he shouldn't have been worried after all.

The next morning, the group of boys headed to the stream. Law felt awkward running around with kids younger than him, all of them as dexterous as mountain goats as they negotiated the rocky, slippery terrain of the mountain side. The village was alive with activity, with horses snorting and dogs barking while chickens clucked. It smelled of food, fertilizer and overturned dirt – much different from the polluting scents of Spider Miles. Law inhaled deeply, feeling his lungs expand with precious oxygen. He felt so much freer at this moment, the boys' shouts around him echoing off the nearby cliff sides and temporarily freeing him from his constant weight of frustration and overthinking.

With his pipe, Ace pointed at a mossy area that was peppered with pine needles from nearby trees. Sabo and Luffy hastily reached for branches set in various areas and lifted to reveal a shoddy wooden trap door in the ground. Sanji gasped with awe as Ace then opened the door to reveal what looked like a long ago stairway leading into an abandoned subway tunnel. Law looked around himself with a start, seeing that what he thought were rock formations and forest debris were actually abandoned and fallen buildings that were coated over by nature and time. The fact that they were standing within a long ago city ruin made him feel overwhelmed.

They clamored inside, the tunnel smelling heavily of musty scents and dust. Sabo lit a torch nearby, and Ace took it to lead the way. Their footsteps rang out noisily within the open, empty spaces, and Sanji, despite his earlier show of bravery, crowded up against Law's hip. Luffy himself was already planting himself onto Sabo's back, the other boy struggling to hold onto the other without making too much of a fuss.

Before anything could be said, Ace turned and looked at their younger companions, snapping, "Both of you don't got any right to hide behind someone's back! Walk out in the open with the rest of us! You get scared all the time, you are not gonna grow up to be a brave man."

Both boys reluctantly walked out on their own, wearing frightened expressions as they did so. Sabo gave Ace an impatient look, but Ace dismissed their fears and continued walking. Seeing that Sanji was giving him space, Law ended up giving Ace that small respect for having such authority over the younger kids. He wrestled with his amused smile.

"There are animals hiding out here, so don't mind them, cuz they ain't interested in you," Ace announced, his young voice echoing off the wide walls as they walked the length of a platform that was coated with dirt, animal droppings and long ago debris that hadn't faded too much with time. "They kinda distract the monsters, anyway. None of them like each other that much. We'll use that to our advantage."

The sitting benches along the walls, abandoned trash cans and signs from long ago screaming with advertisements caught Law's eye. He read some of them over, having to wipe away a collection of dust and spider webs to do so.

The boys showed him the doorway that would take them towards the mountain and ended up pushing another steel doorway outward to reveal a well-traveled road ahead. This door was hidden behind thick bramble branches and foliage that had to be spread away with their pipes to allow them exit. Law was impressed once more, the boys scrambling out from around him to go explore the area.

He sat down atop of one stump, exhaling heavily. He thought about his reaction to the thought of Doflamingo finding them. With all of Law's collected doubts and insecurities formed as a result of being away from the older man and his rule, Law recognized that he was in charge of his own freedom; just as Shanks insisted upon. Doflamingo had shown Law compassion by giving him a home, but Doflamingo hadn't given Law a choice. He married Law off to some young kid without his consent, practically planned Law's future without Law's input and deliberately withheld information from Law. Corazon's death had been troubling but he had allowed Doflamingo to treat him this way.

… _Or had he_? Law thought back on his two conversations about the car wreck, and each time, Shanks had answered differently. It made Law feel that perhaps Corazon had arranged this to happen. _Somehow_.

Maybe Corazon was alive out there, fleeing his own brother while allowing Law a chance to escape.

Law wondered how his imagination had come to this, but once it had taken root it was stuck there. He swallowed tightly and stared at the boys as they made it down to the road. It looked like they'd forgotten their real task and were set on hunting the animal that had left behind big paw prints along the side of the road. As three boys ran in that direction, Sanji returned back to him, breathing heavily. Law was about to admonish him for getting dirty when Sanji said, "Someone's coming. And they're black coaches."

Tense, Law peered through the foliage to look down the road. Sure enough, there was a convoy of black vehicles coming their way. From the looks of it, the coaches and the vehicles accompanying them had the crest of the Donquxiote family on their hoods. His lungs seemed to close together as he sat back, safely out of sight. Sanji looked up at him with worry.

"It'll take them a while to get to the village," Sanji said. "So if we go down there now, we can be there when Doffy gets there."

"Or…just stay put." Law realized how heavy his words were leaving him. Almost incredulous that they did. His heart raced with anxiety, his breathing short. _This was it_ – it was _his_ moment to make a decision. Sanji looked up at him with a tilted head.

"You don't want to go back?" he asked curiously.

"I just…I don't know, I don't…I don't think we have to," Law sputtered slowly, entwining his fingers together and looking at them. "Why should we? Out here, we have a chance to do things other than being cooped up in some place, waiting for you to mature."

"You like playing with those kids, right?" Law then asked him, looking for any signs of rebellion in the boy that openly wanted to go back home. After some consideration, Sanji nodded.

"Yes. They're way better to me than my brothers. And they're not always yelling at me all the time," Sanji added, looking at him with a frown.

"Don't you think it'd be fun to stay here for awhile? Just…grow up being a kid around other kids like them?"

"Do _you_? Cuz I know it's painful for you to hang around little kids…"

"Just until Shanks can come back with the medicine I need."

"Are you still sick?"

"No, it's for the - !" Law cut himself off as Sanji gave him a puzzled look. Once he realized Sanji understood little about these things, he struggled to hold back his impatience. He said tightly, "Both of us need medicine to get away from each other for a little while. I can use it to go to school – when it's your time to mature, you won't go into heat right away."

"Oh," Sanji then mumbled. "Heat is when I get all…rapey, right?"

Law wondered when and where he'd heard that term, and figured it was Doflamingo's doing. With a grim look, he said, "Yeah, and…I don't think either of us wants to be that way."

"No. It's gross."

"Well, you see what I'm getting at?"

"I know you want to get away, but if you go away, then who do I stay with?" Sanji then asked him tentatively, looking up at him. All of a sudden, his lower lip trembled and his eyes rounded.

Law swore he'd seen Luffy use this expression on his brothers and fought not to laugh. "I'm immune to that sort of thing, you know," he warned.

Sanji's face returned to normal as he huffed, hands on his hips. Despite himself, Law had to laugh at the effort. "You're so _dumb_."

The convoy began to pull closer, and despite themselves, both of them crouched down, venturing closer to the door behind them. They saw the vehicles pass by, the heavily tinted windows preventing them from looking inside. But Law grasped the stump he had been sitting on, looking down at the bugs that were meandering through the forest floor at his feet. Sanji pressed his hands to his mouth, looking slightly frightened. When the convoy passed by, both of them exhaled slowly, listening to the sound of multiple engines fade away.

"Shanks said that this medicine only lets me do stuff without having me return right away, so if I can go to school, I can do so without having to rush back and see what you're doing," Law explained to him.

"Oh! So you won't be there every minute, watching over me like a damn gargoyle!"

" _Yes_."

"But I'd stay here with the others?"

"…Well….both of us might wind up going anyway, and…I can still go to school and you can…do whatever you want to do. But both of us need those suppressants."

"Yeah, cuz I don't want to have any babies right now."

Law felt relieved that Sanji was agreeing with him. So he had to be sure. "So…you don't want to go home?"

"No," Sanji decided, blinking repeatedly. "I'm having too much fun here. And Makino said I could help her, and Doffy never liked me doing that, and my father said 'no' all the time, too."

"There, see? We can help if they need us," Law said, nodding to agree. He reached out to grip the boy's hands, looking at him sternly. "But neither of us are to say anything about this village if we are caught, or that they were taking care of us. We can't put them in any danger like that. If we are caught, we just go with them without a fight - is this clear?"

"Like…they're enemies?" Sanji asked doubtfully.

"… _Yes_. Because they'll be upset with both of us for not returning. No matter what we say to explain ourselves," Law said heavily, very sure of the consequences.

"Because we were their things and not their people…"

" _Exactly_."

"I knew it," Sanji then whispered bitterly, looking troubled while Law frowned, thinking that it had taken space away from Doffy for him to realize this. Sanji then drew his hands back and shoved them into his pockets while Law stood, awkwardly towering over him.

"Go find those kids and tell them what's happening. I'm going to go spy on those guys when they draw up to the village," Law decided. "Make sure everyone is quiet when they come back."

Sanji looked worried again. "You're not going to leave me now, right?"

"I just went over this with you. Just _listen_."

"I know, but…you keep putting yourself first in things so that I have to catch up."

Law frowned with some admittance. "I know, but…I'm older. So I have to do this sort of thing."

Sanji frowned back at him, lightly kicking at the dirt. "Well, when's it my turn to be equal?"

"I don't know…when you're thirty, or something…but probably not even then because I'll still be older and I _still_ will make all the decisions."

Sanji made a face, but he flipped Law off and hurried away, staying out of sight from the roadway. At that moment, Law felt affectionate towards the kid; for listening to him, for not putting up a difficult fight. But now he needed to focus on this aspect. He turned towards the open doorway and swept in, hurrying back the way he'd come in. He was sweating with light anxiety, wondering if he was actually doing this. If he were actually trying to pull away to make a life changing decision for their own.

It would alter some things significantly. But at the same time, it felt good to have and make a choice.

: :

When he finally reached the village, he was quite aware that every part of him was racing with fear, troubled with his big decision and yet certain it was one he'd absolutely stand behind. He swallowed tightly. He perched against the last stair and pressed an ear against the door, listening for anything unusual. Once he felt it was clear, he deftly pushed the door aside and climbed out. Everyone was working in their fields and moving throughout the area as normal, so it appeared he was on time. Without drawing attention to himself, he propped the door open with a rock then pulled the moss blanket back over it. He hurried over to an outcropping of rocks that allowed him to look over at the front gates and huddle behind it. He would dare draw himself closer to the village because everyone tended to greet him cheerfully when they saw him, and he didn't want anyone to know that he was there.

Not long after he'd settled, he noticed the guardsmen at the gate looking over. Their weapons were at their feet as they wore relaxed poses, hollering out greetings towards the convoy that brought with them a cloud of dust that rose up and over the wall. Law hugged his knees, pulling off his distinct hat and setting it aside as his heart pounded fiercely against his chest.

Those men were too far away for him to hear conversation, and he felt that this was a good thing. But the gates were opened, which caused him a little curiosity as he edged over some of the rocks in front of him to see what was happening. He recognized the speaker as Jora, who was showing pictures to those standing on the ground level. The visit prompted curiosity from the villagers that ventured forward to listen to what was being said, and Law wished he'd braved moving closer to hear the chatter.

The mayor hurried over, calling for attention. Jora spoke with him briefly, flashy clothing brilliant against the villagers' more plain outfits, and when she showed him the photographs, the man seemed to tense.

Law waited for him to give his answer, and watched with some building anxiety as he pointed back towards the road. Jora looked puzzled as she listened, the mayor nodding repeatedly with his own insistence before handing the photos back. She then waved cheerfully at him, thanking him for his attention on the matter before slipping through the open gates.

The guards at the top of the wall waved their goodbyes, and Law wondered if it was safe to emerge from his hiding spot.

The moss blanket rustled nearby, and a pair of hands pushed out tentatively in a clumsy gesture. Law hopped down from his spot to help the kids through, giving an impatient snort.

"You guys are late," he said, lifting the doorway and then dropping it with a slam.

The bodies behind it hissed and snarled, pushing against the door with insistent action. Law's heart spun in a panic as he backed away hastily, staring at the hands emerging out into the dirt once more.

He realized then that Doflamingo _had_ lied to him.

He turned, cupping his mouth with both hands before screaming, " _ZOMBIES_!"


	6. Chapter 6

**: : Six**

* * *

Watching the half-dead stumble out from the doorway, Law had no choice but to run. He shouted out the warning as he did so, people looking in his direction with alarm. Once the danger was recognized, people began to flee with panic in their voices and features. His mind whirling with frantic thought to get to safety, Law jumped up for a low hanging branch and hastily climbed the tree, looking down to see zombies running aimlessly towards the fleeing people in the village while several of the undead slammed up against the tree, looking up at him.

He wasn't sure where they came from – their clothes were too tattered and torn to recognize colors, and their faces – most of them were skeletal, flayed to prevent him from identifying what they once were. Their hands scraped uselessly at the tree while they shrieked with inhuman screams – some had empty eye sockets and were moving with the flow and others had eyes that seemed to bob in their eye sockets like toys. The smell that swept up had him wincing, attempting to pull away while struggling not to vomit. Gunshots rang out, Law clutching the tree trunk and looking over to seeing the guardsmen at the gate picking off the zombies that ventured in close.

Those that were fleeing were slamming shut doors and windows, and Law was horrified to seeing Makino looking in his direction, screaming for the kids. The mayor ended up grabbing her, yanking her after him as they fled to the dining hall. More zombies poured in from the nearby subway doorway, and Law caught his breath.

Anger and panic warred within him, but he felt helpless to do a thing. Those scraping at the tree trunk below were piling over each other, and one actually crawled atop of a branch to reach for him, others attempting to mimic the movement. But their uncoordinated effort caused that one to fall atop of the others while another began to steadily climb towards that branch. Law fumbled with his bag, finding the handgun inside. He was breathing too shallowly to focus, scared thoughtless as the zombie heaved with winded breath. Sightless eyes scanned the tree, but those nostrils flared like an animal's. Hands ruined by death scraped at the bark, fingernails long gone. Law pointed the gun down at the dead thing, hand shaking nervously. He squeezed the trigger, the sound of the gun firing terrifyingly loud. But the bullet tore through the zombie's shoulder, doing nothing to scare it away. It reached for his foot, and Law closed an eye and aimed for the zombie's face. He fired again and the undead thing tumbled backwards, hitting the moving pile below with a splay of limbs. He pulled the gun to his chest, his troubled breathing loud as he looked to the subway doorway once more.

He couldn't help but wonder where the kids were. The three had run off the roadway to chase after an animal, and Sanji had run after them. So were they safe? And how did the zombies approach the hidden subway tunnel? Was their exit point discovered?

How did Doflamingo know they were here?

Law looked back down at the zombies, seeing two of them manage to pull themselves up, eking strangled noises as their sightless eyes darted about with trembling action. Their hair was long since destroyed and mangled, their faces torn and flayed – one was a woman, he saw, her dress hanging from her waist in tatters. Her ribcage seemed to pulse with her strangled breathing, innards either missing or withered into dry pieces that clung only to her skeletal structure and clothing. Law ended up staring at her in terror, horrible flashbacks sending him back to the horrors he'd seen in Flevence. For a moment, he imagined that this former woman was his mother.

The screams of the undead seemed to match those in his memory, and the day seemed to transform to night, the city locked in chaos as people fled the things that chased after them. Blood spatter decorated the sidewalks and pieces of human beings were left behind as they lurched after the desperate.

The only thing Law couldn't seem to remember were his parents' own screams.

He lowered the gun once more and fired at the woman's face, watching her as she tumbled backwards, slamming into the man behind her and knocking both of them to the wooded ground below. He eked a strangled noise of his own, clinging to the tree with his legs and other arm, face against the bark. He didnt want to see them, anymore. Their heaving breath and shrieks were too much.

There were other gunshots ringing out in the distance, forcing him to open his eyes. After seeing that the pile below wasn't as successful as the three before them, Law twisted his head to look over at the village. The freshly turned were lurching after the others, but the houses were locked tight. There was a pile of undead banging and scraping against the doors and windows of one house, and glass shattered noisily as they entered. Gunshots and frantic screams rang out in response, and Law had to look away. Involuntary noises of distress left him and he couldn't stop them from leaving his tight throat. He looked back towards the subway doorway, shaking so badly that his face kept bumping up against the trunk of the tree. His skin began to flame with irritation caused by the scraping.

Seeing that he had a chance to leap over the pile below, Law stuffed the gun into his bag. His fingers were clenched so tightly that it took a few moments to open them to reach out to grip other branches. The sudden anxiety in getting to the kids – to Sanji – hit him with such powerful need that it overwhelmed his frozen terror. Some of those scraping at the tree below lost interest and began running towards the village. A man screamed in terror, and Law watched him get overwhelmed in his own field by a pack that tore into him with snarls and lurches of uncoordinated bodies.

He watched as this caught the attention of those from below, tearing away from the tree to venture into that direction like sprinters desperate to reach a finish line. He hopped down onto the ground and raced for the doorway. Taking the stairs a few at a time, Law grabbed onto the hand rails and skid down to the dark tunnel. Only his breath registered in the heavy silence of the enclosed space.

He raced through the darkness, sweat beading over his skin. He heard the troubled breathing behind him, glancing back to seeing two of those things give chase. But one tumbled over the platform and the other seemed to skid and lose his balance over debris on the floor. Law ran faster.

By the time he emerged, he was light-headed and nearly out of breath. But he scanned the area and hastily slid down the incline, dropping onto the road with an uncoordinated tumble. He picked himself up, looking in one direction to another, moving in the one he'd seen the kids take earlier. This took him over the edge of the roadway, seeing yet another uneven terrain of forest and rock. It was silent here, with the occasional bird call. Gunshots were faint – Law's head whirled with memory and terror, breathing so heavy that he was sure he was going to pass out.

He tried calling Sanji's name, but it emerged as a gust of air. Panic took away his thinking and his rationality. He didn't know what to do. It showed him the memory of Corazon ordering him to use his magic to get them out of the flipped car.

For some reason, the man's voice was clear enough to snap him out of his panic. It allowed him a long, shaky exhale, focused on the noises around him. All at once, he registered the incredible want to move to his left. He took that instinct for guidance and began running in that direction, heading down the incline.

After several minutes of running, Law reached a clearing. He heard kids' shouts and the roar of something monstrous, something that didn't belong. He snapped his head to the left to see a winged beast of massive proportion – a combination of tiger and eagle, with flailing tentacles, snapping at the trees. The tiger's head with an eagle's beak shrieked shrilly, massive wings flapping noisily against the foliage and sending up dust. The tentacles were tearing apart branches and pulling tree saplings aside as clawed feet clutched tenderly at the ground.

Law could hear Luffy's excited shrieks and Ace's commanding tenor. It shocked him that the kids were actively fighting off this monster while zombies were massacring their own village. Law heard Sanji's excited shouts, encouraging Ace to "get it!"

A troublesome feeling of relief hit Law then. He could focus on his task, center himself. So he ventured closer, his legs shaking and weak as the monster shrilled with anger, wings flapping against the trees. With sweat dripping down his brow, Law closed his eyes and formed the blue orb from within his hands. It expanded as he slowed his breath, the monster's head twisting in his direction with a cluck. He could _feel_ it – every breath it took, the rumble of its quick heart beat – almost as if they were caught in a room together. He could hear its blood flow, the gurgle of its stomach, and the muscle movements of its extra limbs. The ground shook and a blast of hot air hit him as its wings fluttered with its effort.

Law could feel its joint connections within his own body, like he was a part of the monster himself. As the ground rumbled underfoot, he could feel its wing joints like he could feel his own elbows. Could feel its mouth open as it released a discovering shriek, his own throat tightening with the effort. Everything else outside of the room was nothing Law could sense. He used his hands to cut down and he felt the wings separate and fall from the animal, landing atop of the clearing's vegetation with a heavy flounce of feather and weight. The monster shrieked once more, blood pumping with its own fright and powerlessness. Instead of charging forward, it lunged backward, searching for its balance. Without its wings it gave an awkward tumble, hitting the ground with a heavy stumble. Its heart raced furiously, scared and helpless.

Law could feel its panic and its sudden vulnerability. It almost made him feel pity and uncertainty, and he felt the room waver with the lack of confidence. Almost as if he were picking on something defenseless – it made him feel as if he were being unnecessarily mean. He opened his eyes to see the monster looking at him, tentacles lashing through the air from its furred chest. Its wild, golden eyes were locked on him as its clawed feet struggled to find something to help it stand. Its wings were useless on the ground.

It brought back the memory of taking apart a frog, watching it squirm helplessly without its legs or arms. But that had been fascinating because he was just discovering his abilities and the fact that he had powerful magic to do this had compelled him to move forward without any sense of regret or empathy. This was different. This was a survival instinct.

So it felt odd to feel empathy for this monster. But he centered himself once more and pulled apart its head with a spread of his hands, feeling the disconnection of skull from spine, _feeling_ the squishing separation of brain matter from nervous system. Instantly, the sensation of having someone else in the room ceased, and the tentacles flopped onto the ground uselessly as the heart sped up in response. Those golden eyes focused on him without sight and it exhaled a harsh squawk of sound before silencing.

The heart continued to pump uselessly and Law released the room. All at once his surroundings registered, and he heard the kids screaming at him. But their screams weren't of fright or fear; just amazement and incredulity. Ace hopped out from one tree, pipe in hand while Luffy ran out from the brush with pure incredulity in his voice, fists in the air. Sabo was shouting with awe while Sanji looked annoyed.

" _Show off_!" he shouted from his tree, looking petulant while Law exhaled slowly, looking at the fallen monster with his own admiration.

Ace hurried up to him, looking dirtier than he did early. "How'd you _do_ that?" he demanded, looking at Law with accusation.

It took Law a few moments to recover before remembering why he was here. He looked back from where he came then said, "Zombies. The village is under attack."

The kids looked terrified, Sanji and Sabo reaching them and registering for themselves that something was happening. Ace started forward with a cry of alarm and Law caught his arm.

"No, _don't_! They're – they were chasing after me, they came in from the tunnel!" Law explained shortly as Ace yanked his arm away.

"We have to help them!" Ace shouted, causing Law to grab him again, stopping him.

"What are you going to do?" Law snapped at him. "What can you do? They're the ones with the guns, they can defend themselves. You're just a stupid kid, you can't do anything!"

"You have your powers!" Ace shouted back at him, nearly hitting him with the pipe.

" _Ace_ ," Sabo started with uncertainty as Luffy stood there, eyes wide and horrified. Sanji looked shocked, hands at his sides as he stared up at the older kid with drawing understanding.

" _We have to do something_!" Ace cried, turning to run once more, desperation on his features.

Law knew the kid had no chance, watching him run. He caught Luffy before he could follow, looking at Sabo. "Get your friend. Or I'll do it."

After several moments, Sabo nodded and sprinted after Ace. Seeing him tackle the kid to the ground, Law looked at Sanji while Luffy fought furiously in his grip.

" _He_ did it," he told Sanji gravely. "Doflamingo did it."

"Looking for us," Sanji said low, hands entwining together. The kid looked shell-shocked before overwhelming guilt pulled at every part of him.

" _Let go of me_!" Luffy shrilled at Law, punching and kicking at him. Law's longer reach held him a safe distance from him before he shoved the kid into the ground. Sanji quickly hugged Luffy from behind, thin arms straining as Luffy picked himself up.

"We _can't_ , Luffy," Sanji told him quietly as the boy shuddered. "We can't, we'll get eaten, too. They'd want us safe, and not to worry about us."

"But they're gonna _die_!" Luffy screamed before erupting into helpless sobs. " _They're going to die_!"

"We have to wait. They have big houses and guns," Sanji reassured him quietly, hugging him tightly. "We're only kids. We can't do anything. We don't have powers, and Law's not good at his, yet."

" _Save them_!" Luffy begged Law as Sabo and Ace fought in the background.

Law wore a helpless frown. "I can't," he said thinly, looking at his hands. "I can't do much…this stuff I can only do to animals. I have to focus, and I can't if they're swarming everyone."

"You have to! _You have to_!"

"I _can't_!" Law cried helplessly, dropping his hands into balled fists. "I can't do a fucking thing! None of us can! We can only stay out of the way!"

" _Noooooooooo_!"

Sanji hugged Luffy tightly, trying to calm him while Law looked away with frustration. With all the weight and responsibility on his shoulders, his own lack of strength and confidence in his burgeoning abilities, Law felt like he was wholly responsible for this. He felt like a failure and a coward, and the feelings made him sick. He sat, his legs giving out suddenly. Ace was crying with frustration, Sabo in the same condition but succeeding in pining the kid down onto the ground. With all the childish wailing around him, Law's hands shakily went to his ears and clamped over them, not wanting to be overwhelmed.

Survivor's guilt ate at him from the inside, reminding him of how helpless he felt the night his colony fell.

: :

Sabo took control of the group. Coaxed them into hiding in the trees, the monster's silence seemingly overwhelming, even as birds called from the trees and a light breeze rustled the leaves. Animals continued to call out, with cows braying in the distance and a dog's occasional bark sounding out from the trees. Luffy sniffled and hiccupped while Ace glared into the distance. Law stared at his hands while Sanji sat beside him, silent.

They noticed a couple of people emerging from the roadway, their uncoordinated action indicating what they were. They wandered to the fallen monster, sensing fresh blood. Hiding from them, the kids watched the zombies warily as they tore into the unmoving body. After several minutes of hearing them feast, sharp gunshots rang out from the trees. Law reached over and pushed the kids low into the dirt, long arm over their heads. He glanced out, searching for the shooters as the zombies fell in one direction.

He saw that it was Gladius and another follower with long guns, walking casually alongside the treeline. They were scanning the area, giving the monster some looks of amazement but leaving it at that. Eventually, they began climbing up the incline back to the main road. The deathly silence after that remained for some time.

When evening fell, they took to the trees. The cold and the alarming night life of the animals at their feet and in the trees kept them sleepless. When morning came, the group sluggishly made their way back to the village.

They'd seen the heavy black smoke and smelled the stinging, raw scents of burning flesh. But they had to see it for themselves. The group pushed through the broken doors of the trap entrance and saw that the village was in flaming shambles. Bodies were aflame, slowly turning to ashes. The wide gates were blown open, revealing the roadway. Luffy hit the ground on his knees with renewed crying with Ace stared at the sight with open hate on his face. Sabo blinked away quiet tears while Sanji held his expression grimly.

His hands clenched, Law watched the buildings slowly collapse, ash and smoke swirling into the air. The silence was devastating.

Ace turned to look at Law, his freckled face stiff. "Who did this?" he asked.

Law couldn't find his voice, eyes roving from one spot to another. He felt so sick with guilt that there felt like a persistent lump in his throat. He was afraid to speak, so he didn't answer. Ace grit his teeth, face filling with red. He drew his pipe back to hit the older kid when Sanji quietly stood in front of Law. With frustration, Ace glared at the younger boy then lowered his weapon.

"What are we going to do?" Sabo questioned quietly.

"Find Shanks!" Luffy answered, sniffling noisily. "Shanks will know what to do."

"He's _gone_!" Ace snapped at him. "He's gone, he wasn't supposed to be back for months! _If_ he even comes back! What matters is _who_ did this!"

"Even if we know who did this, what do we do then, Ace?" Sabo asked him.

" _Kill_ him!"

The others fell silent while Law looked at Ace with condescension. The kid was breathing heavy, fingers clenched tightly around his pipe. But his eyes were filled with frustrated tears as he continued to stare out at the devastation. After some moments, they looked to Law with accusation.

"Ace," Sanji said quietly, gaining the kid's attention, "you couldn't even take down that monster. And that was only one. Even if you are strong, you aren't strong enough to take on zombies and a really big man. You need to get stronger."

"I _am_ strong!" Ace insisted, dirty hand to his chest. "I am a strong person! I can get that guy!"

"He surrounds himself with other people that are just as strong as him. With zombies. There's…realistically, one kid against all that? Without powers? You'd die before you got close."

Ace grit his teeth, staring at Sanji with fury. But his frustrated tears dripped over his freckled cheeks as he clutched the pipe with both hands.

"Let's get strong, okay?" Sanji then said, reaching out to grip his shoulder. "All of us. So we don't have to step back and hide, but we gotta do it the right way. Knowing we aren't that strong just yet is a part of it. Huh, Law?"

Law felt surprised to hear that. He looked at Sanji with consideration, searching for sarcasm in those words. But he saw that Sanji was being encouraging. So he nodded faintly to agree.

Ace wiped his face with the back of one hand as Sabo's chin trembled. Luffy continued to cry, clutching the dirt underneath his hands, head bowed. For several long moments, they continued to watch buildings burn.

"There's nothing else here," Law then said low. "So…let's move on."

"To _where_?" Sabo asked, a tad sharply. "If we continue moving on, is this gonna happen to another place, too?"

"Shanks mentioned he was going towards a bigger colony. With other kids, and medicine and schools – let's find that place."

"He never mentioned that place's name," Ace then said. "But he told us of it, too."

"Is it going to be safe from the guy who did this?" Sabo asked. "This wasn't even a takeover. It was from someone that just wanted to be a jerk!"

Ace looked at the pair with accusation. "They was looking for you two, weren't they?"

The trio then stared at the pair, who uncomfortably looked at each other then at the ground. Angrily, Ace asked, "How many other places are you guys gonna allow to fall because this guy's lookin' for you?"

Sanji looked upset while Law flushed.

"After all that back there," Ace indicated the monster's final resting place, "it's no wonder he'd do this to other places looking for some kid like you. Maybe you should just go back and stop gettin' innocent people killed."

Sensing no sense of retaliation from them, Ace scoffed and turned his back to them. After giving them a few seconds of effort, he then stalked off. Sabo looked after him with a frown then at the pair.

"It is good advice," he said quietly, helping Luffy to his feet. Leading the boy by his hand, Sabo then followed after Ace.

Sanji watched them go, clutching his own hands anxiously before looking at Law. Seeing the older boy's expression made him unwilling to say anything else. But there was an important question to ask.

"Is the medicine really worth it?" Sanji whispered.

Law grit his teeth. "This is all Shanks' fault!" he hissed helplessly. "All of it!"

Sanji wasn't sure what to say. But the older boy gripped his bag with both hands, seemingly wrestling with his will and emotions. Sanji sensed that anything he had to say would hold no weight here.

After a few moments, Law suddenly crouched, hands to his face. He struggled to repress all of his feelings, but he was losing the battle. Sanji felt sorry for the older kid, wearing an expression of sympathy for him. But he kept his hands to himself because he could sense that Law would lash out if any attention was brought to him. He stood quietly, watching the other three boys examine the damage caused to the village. He could hear Luffy crying openly, and Ace's curses.

The wind above caused trees to rustle noisily, for the scent of smoke and burning flesh to cause Sanji's eyes to burn. There were strange noises high above them, the birds chittering noisily from their nests – Sanji imagined it was more of the monsters like the one from the field flying above them, possibly attracted to the smells.

After a few minutes, Law wiped his face. He stared bitterly at the village, then rose shakily to his feet. After several moments of silence, he said heavily, "Let's go back to Spider Miles."

Sanji looked at him with surprise but it fell away quickly to reluctance. He nodded in response as the teen looked one more time at the village and then slowly led the way back to the tunnel.

: :

They walked most of the day to the next village, but found that one ravaged as well. Animals were picking at the carcasses and only stone foundations remained. Thunder rumbled ahead, and Law found a wood shed that could serve as shelter instead. Both of them crammed themselves into it and stared out at the world, silent and heavy. Rain fell in a soft spatter, and the temperature dropped significantly. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts as the evening came and went, and by morning they were on the road once more. Stomachs rumbled noisily and the chill left behind by the storm left them shivering. Sanji kept looking back to see if the others were following them, but he was disappointed every time.

Eventually they came to a ferry crossing – something that they hadn't even seen the first time. The docks were active with workers that hastily transported from one deck to the other across the wide, churning river. The kids were offered a ride to the other side by an older man who gave them a meal after hearing their stomachs growl.

They took shelter in what looked like a shanty alongside the road when the rain began to fall again. Evening had come, and the darkness outside felt threatening. Both of them sat together on the bench and listened to the rain fall. The door opened suddenly, causing both of them to startle at the sight of the hooded man that reacted at the sight of them with a start of his own. He had a large shape strapped to his back that Law couldn't identify.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" he asked incredulously, venturing forward. Law had his handgun out, pointing at him in warning.

"Not any closer, or I'll shoot you," Law threatened, his voice scratchy with exhaustion.

" _Children_!"

"Leave us alone. We're the property of someone else. Any harm to us, and he'll know! He'll be here any moment!" Law advised as Sanji pressed against him, too tired to hold his own setting.

The man paused in mid-motion, having tried to give a closer look. Clearing his throat, he said warmly, "I'm not going to harm you. I'm taking shelter from the rain. Same as you."

Watching him sit on the other side facing them, Law didn't relax his grip. Minutes passed in silence before he lowered his gun. But he wrapped an arm around the younger boy, both of them using each other for warmth. Someone's stomach gurgled noisily within the silence.

The man laughed in amusement. "Somebody's hungry! There is a road from here that will take you to a friendly village. They have food."

"No, we can't," Law muttered. "We just have to keep moving. Even if we drop dead."

"I thought you said someone was coming for you…"

" _They are_!"

"All right, all right…"

Minutes were spent in silence as Law watched the stranger with open suspicion, and Sanji fought the urge to sleep. The stranger kept to himself, humming occasionally while making light remarks on the weather conditions. Eventually, he drew the object off his back and revealed it to be a guitar. Law hadn't seen one up close and personal, so he struggled to show his interest as the stranger began to sing. The strumming of the guitar, along with their exhaustion and the cozy settings of the shanty caused him to lose his fight against his own sleeplessness.

He didn't sleep very long. The sights, sounds and smells of his long ago memories, combined with the fresh ones that happened recently, caused him to jerk awake with a start. He realized they were no longer in the shanty – he had been deposited to rest atop of a bed with a fireplace nearby, and it startled him that he could sleep that deeply. Staring around himself with terror, Law fought to regain his senses. The room was packed with book shelves, odds and ends, with fur decorations on floor and bed.

He pushed himself up and realized Sanji wasn't anywhere near him. He tore off the blankets and pushed to his feet, panic overwhelming him.

The door opened nearby, and Sanji was struggling to hold a full tray in both hands, tongue caught between his teeth with concentration. When he saw that Law was awake, he ventured over.

"What are you doing?" Law hissed at him furiously, taking the tray from him but noticing that it was full of hot, warm food and cold drinks. The sounds filtering in from the open doorway alerted him to voices, music and the smells of food. Despite himself, Law crammed in hot pieces of roast into his mouth, burning his tongue. He hissed as he ate, fingers burning as he ignored the fork.

"I _told_ him," Sanji insisted, reaching out to straighten the little wildflowers in a glass cup. "I told him that Doflamingo was looking for us and he destroyed other places, but he just laughed and said _we'd be fine if zombies attacked_!"

Law crinkled his brow at Sanji's mimicry of words. "What…what does that…?"

Sanji leaned in, cupping his mouth with one hand. "Brook is already dead!"

Puzzled, Law frowned at him as Sanji then lit up. Excited, Sanji gestured at him to follow. Law followed after him with an uncertain expression, Sanji leading the way down a narrow set of stairs to a room that looked more like a library than a house. Books covered every shelf – tapestries of long ago ads hung from various shelves. There were a couple of wooden ladders propped up against walls, and there were candles alit nearly everywhere.

He saw the hooded man with his guitar on a Victorian couch in front of a massive fireplace, looking at a music stand with an open book to it. He was strumming notes and humming while Sanji gestured at Law to follow.

When the man noticed Sanji standing there, his bushy head shook with delight before looking back at Law. Law reacted with a wild windmill of his arms and a startled cry upon seeing the gleaming white of his skeletal face.

"Yo ho ho ho hoho!" the man cried with delight, rising to stand as he put his guitar aside. Law tripped over a runner rug behind him as he gaped up at the man with utter horror. "Don't be alarmed! My face might be missing but my personality isn't!"

"Brook's really nice," Sanji told Law with a bright smile. Law continued to gape up at the man, unsure of how this was possible. "He said we can stay here for awhile. Until Doffy can find us."

Incredulous, Law swallowed tightly. Despite any sort of emotion defining feature in the skeleton's face, Law felt like it was smiling at them.

"I know who that is," Brook told Law gently. "I can get ahold of him if you wished. It seems like I have to talk with you about it. You're the boss."

"I didn't tell him _anything_ ," Sanji whispered to Law as he recovered.

After some moments of consideration, Law swallowed once more. "We can't stay here," he then said low. "The last place that gave us a home…Doffy burned it down. Destroyed it with zombies. I just want to get us back home so nothing like that happens again."

"You're important to him," Brook said with understanding, leaning against a table full of knick-knacks and what seemed like a cat staring at them. Law had to wonder if it were stuffed, for it didn't seem to react to anything; he looked back at Brook and nodded slowly.

"Enough to burn villages for," he said slowly. "Let us go, and that won't happen to you, too."

Brook picked at one nostril and Law looked at him with a frown. "Those are very heavy words for such a young child to utter," Brook then said, examining his fingertip. He then jolted. "Oh! What am I doing? I cannot produce a booger if I tried!"

Law stared up at him, wordless for the unnecessary reaction. He looked at Sanji with confusion, but Sanji was heavily amused at the skeleton.

"As I was saying," Brook then continued, looking at Law with seeming concern, "I'm aware of the type of man Doflamingo is. But to extend such effort to retrieve two children…why is this?"

Law's lips tightened suddenly as Sanji looked downcast. Brook noticed their reactions then cleared his throat. "Perhaps that isn't a question that needs to be answered. But if you should like, there is a long range phone in the hallway there. Go ahead. Use it."

Sanji exhaled heavily, looking at Law with a pensive frown. Law pulled his knees up, arms on them with heavy reluctance. Brook tilted his head. "Why the hesitancy?"

"What is this place?" Law then asked curiously, staring up at the books around them.

"This was formerly a library. One of the very last in this area! But it's haunted," Brook then added, eyes seemingly to widen as he glanced around apprehensively. Law stared at him with obtuse reaction.

"Are you sure this isn't about you?" Sanji asked Brook skeptically.

"Me? Am _I_ haunting the place? Why would I do so? This is my home! Yo ho ho ho ho hoho!"

"You _idiot_ ," Sanji told him crossly, Brook looking at him with shock. "There are no ghosts here! It's just you!"

Brook looked surprised once more as Law shouted with impatience, having no tolerance for foolishness.

"What is this place?" Law asked Brook once more. "Did you bring us here to ransom?"

Before Brook could answer, a door to their left opened and slammed shut, the sounds of many people gathering there from the outside elements present. Sanji immediately went to Law, who pulled him back behind one of the tables to hide them from view. Brook noticed their reaction with a curious tilt of his head before the voices rang out.

"There are books _everywhere_!"

" _Wow_ …"

"It's so warm…!"

"AHHHH! A SKELETON!" the three of them cried out in horror once they caught sight of Brook. Brook screamed with them, looking around himself with apprehension.

Sanji jerked away from Law, catching their attention. Luffy pulled away from Sabo's grip and shot over to him, hugging him tightly while Sanji looked confused. Ace wore a reluctant expression but Sabo attempted for nice while the fourth person shook out their hood. Law peered over the table with apprehension while the four kids talked amongst each other with excited action. Brook tittered over their voices, towering over them with examination. Law watched the other man walk out into the library, removing hood from head.

With a low gasp, Law rose to his feet. " _Cora_ …!"

Corazon looked over at him, eyebrows shooting up with surprise. Sanji tore away from the boys and hurried over to Law's side, both of them stiff with apprehension.

" _This_ guy found us," Sabo told the pair, whose reactions made the others curious. "Said he was looking for you. So he helped us here. I hope you don't mind..."

"I thought you guys hated us," Sanji whispered.

"It's not your fault," Luffy said, patting his head. "None of it was! Emotions was just running high, Sabo said. We wanna stay with you guys!"

"If you'll let us," Sabo added tentatively. Sanji looked to Ace to determine his reaction but the brunette was stubbornly avoiding his expression.

"It's good to see you two are okay," Corazon said to Law slowly, venturing towards them. Law ended up reaching down to grab Sanji's arm, clenching tightly as the boy winced. Pausing in mid-step, Corazon frowned. Brook reached out and patted his shoulder, drawing concern from the older boy.

" _I_ found him," Brook then assured the kids. "He seems okay."

"I arranged the attack, Law," Corazon then stated firmly. "It didn't go as well as I'd planned but…it seems like it was a success. Doffy can't find either of us."

Law wasn't sure what to say. He glanced around them, looking for a trap. Three boys looked at them with confusion while Brook remained neutral. The cat on the table, the thing that Law thought was stuffed, began cleaning its face.

"He and Shanks know each other," Ace spoke up skeptically, pulling at the collar of his rain coat. Now that Law noticed, the three were wearing matching fur capes and hoods, shoddily made. He had no doubt that they'd skinned the animal themselves. But Law looked cynically back at Corazon.

"These things," Corazon said slowly, his gaze unwaveringly, "had to be done in such a way that Doffy wouldn't suspect it before it could happen, Law. Unfortunately, it wasn't perfect. Everything that had happened afterward…that's my price to bear. Not yours."

"Doffy killed everyone in those villages just to look for us," Law said tightly, feeling angry all over again. " _That_ responsibility is yours to bear?"

"One of Shanks' friends can bend distance, which is how they traveled so far so fast, and why it took me so long to catch up," Corazon said lightly, removing his hood and cape. He was wearing a flashier version of a heart print sweater with rainbows on them and tan trousers, along with yellow rainboots. It made Law's eyes hurt. "I ran into Brook here while tailing after those guys, and it was he who was able to track you guys down."

"No one was tracking us," Law stated.

Brook held up a finger as the kids began to lose interest in the conversation. They spoke over themselves to explain their travel while Ace remained stubbornly silent, paying quiet attention to the adults' conversation. "This place is haunted," Brook reminded Law, who looked at him impatiently. "And these ghosts can travel far and wide."

"Because of me," the cat said, blinking big, dark eyes. It shifted to reveal a young woman in gothic clothing, black lipstick outlining her bright white teeth. Her bright pink hair was pulled up into a high ponytail at the top of her head, and she straightened her pink heart collar with silver bell.

" _Ew_ , what's that stuff on your mouth?" Luffy asked her, wearing a skeptic look.

"Dried blood of all the little kids I ate," the girl hissed at him, causing the boys to look at her with alarm.

"This is Perona," Brook introduced her grandly. "See? The little tags on her collar?"

"So you let people die?" Law asked, ignoring them. Growing furious, he shouted at Corazon, " _You let all these people die_?"

"I didn't like the way things turned out, Law," Corazon said grimly as he sat onto one of the Victorian couches with a hard sigh. "But they did. And all of it was Doffy's fault. He was without any remorse for his actions."

"Because of this, because of what Shanks told me – those deaths are on _my_ hands," Law said grimly. "Because I wanted those suppressants. Because I wanted a fucking _choice_."

"I know," Corazon returned gently. "I was going to take you there myself. But the plan didn't go as it should have."

Law vibrated with hot anger. He stared at Corazon furiously, then turned and stalked back to the stairway. After an uncertain look, Sanji made to follow but the door shut with a loud slam in front of him. Awkwardly, Sanji returned to the others. The boys were already making a place for themselves while Perona attempted to boss them around, Brook learning names with joyous delight.

Sanji looked at Corazon with doubt, but the man wore such a guilty expression that Sanji felt he should have no more qualms about the man's intended actions. Fiddling with his fingers, Sanji ventured over to him. Catching his sight, he asked, "Now what?"

Corazon looked at him, lips tight. But he reached out and gave his ratty ponytail a gentle shake. It looked like he was struggling to make his expression light. "We need a haircut."


	7. Chapter 7

**: : Seven**

* * *

The library was a four story building, preserved by overgrowth of foliage and location within a small town. The nearby lake crept through the streets of the long abandoned town and shallowed in what was once a parking lot. Trees that had been pruned and cared for years ago shot up and surrounded it, leaving it nearly hidden to those walking on a roadway a few miles away. From the fourth floor window, Law could overlook trees that had taken over the town, allowing nature to flourish freely without danger to it. The rain continued to pour from the thickly clouded skies, thunder rumbling occasionally in the distance. Because of this, it was difficult to see beyond what he could. It felt stifling, but the smell of freshly falling rain felt overwhelmingly soothing. Nothing like the pollutants in Spider Miles.

Almost like the rain in Flevence.

He could hear the kids' voices ringing out from inside of the building as Brook entertained them, and while he was curious to the skeleton's appearance, Law wasn't in any mood to visit. He wanted to feel happy about Corazon's appearance but he had so many q doubts and he was still recovering from the trauma of the zombie attack. He couldn't relax, his fingers clenched tightly while his stomach was in knots.

He heard the quiet knock on the door, twitching at the sound of it. He'd taken refuge in this room, feeding the fireplace an occasional piece of wood from the stack nearby. Corazon had attempted to talk to him a few times but Law rejected his approach every time. So hearing this caused his face to grow heavy with a scowl.

"Law. It's me. Open sesame," Sanji said pleasantly, knocking again. Law shook his head with exasperation, glaring out the window once more. The kid's voice was muffled against the wood when he spoke again, so Law imagined that he was pushing his own face against the door. "The password is 'No', yes? So, _No_. Law? The password? This is the password, I'm using the magic password! No. _Nooooooo_."

"No," Luffy chimed in, his voice just as muffled. There was a mixture of voices as they argued with each other, Law wearing a sour expression as there was a brief struggle.

They alternated with his name and possible passwords, knocking and tapping at the wood. It grew so irritating that he growled and left the window seat, tempted to kick it. But instead he stood there, glaring at the locked doorknob before opening it. Luffy fell in awkwardly while Sanji looked up with a surprised look. It took a moment for Law to gather himself – both of them were now wearing terribly outdated clothing that had to be Perona's doing. Sanji had one some type of combination with a ruffled collar that looked suspiciously like a girl's blouse while Luffy was wearing a shorts and jacket set that reminded Law of funeral attire.

Luffy noticed his puzzled examination and puffed up his chest as he stood proudly. "Perona said she'd taken these from a funeral home. _Right_ off dead bodies," he stated. "So we can be ghosts, too, like her and Brook."

"What do you brats want?" Law then asked crankily, hearing Brook laugh merrily as Sabo and Ace chimed in. Perona's screechy voice rang out with irritation, telling them to quit singing about seeing her underwear.

Sanji held up a pair of scissors, looking uneasy as Luffy attempted to cram his head between the doorframe and door, threatening to barge in with force. Law held the door in place so the kid wouldn't.

"Cora said I could have a haircut," Sanji said nervously, "and I thought it'd cheer you up if you did it."

"… _Why_ would that cheer me up?" Law asked with exasperation, rolling his eyes with annoyance.

"Because you hate my hair."

"Cut it yourself."

"But…I want you to do it. It'd make you feel better…?"

Law was irritated with both children. He had so much defeat and anger swirling inside of him that he felt nothing could "cheer him up." The weight of the responsibility and frustration in his lack of action and strength made his very soul feel helpless and unresolved. Having the responsibility of this added thing made him feel overwhelmed. He lifted a knee to attempt to force Luffy away from the door before he could shut it, but Luffy pushed against him.

"Let us in," Luffy grunted, pushing his full weight against the door. "Let us into your cold, dark heart."

"He doesn't have one," Sanji told him, pulling at his shirt before he could get hurt. "He's only full of teenage angst, that's why he's so angry."

" _I am not_!" Law exclaimed with irritation, pushing against Luffy with one hand. Luffy kicked out to insert one skinny leg between doorframe and door, shoe catching on the edge. Recognizing he could hurt the kid and have more responsibility on his hands, Law opened the door with a growl. Both kids hurried inside and he shut and locked it behind them. Luffy looked around the room with awe before Sanji made himself comfortable on the window seat with a forced smile, holding the scissors up.

After several moments of angry breathing, Law turned away from the door and trudged over. He took the scissors from the kid's hand while Sanji then gave him his back and entwined his own fingers together, clenching tightly with obvious anxiety.

After so much fuss to his hair, Law did recognize that the kid was willing to sacrifice his own comfort to appease him. He sighed as Luffy crouched to pet the fur rug on the floor, oohing and ahhing over the animal's coloring.

"You sure you want a haircut?" Law asked Sanji gruffly, examining the scissors. They had been recently sharpened, he noticed.

"Yes, it's about time that I have one," Sanji replied stiffly. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself when he added, "It'll make things easier! And it'll change my appearance, and…it'll be faster to fix, and easier to clean, and…I won't look so messy. Plus, I won't be, um, recognizable. And people will see that I am a boy. See?"

Looking at the long, blond strands, Law noticed that it had been brushed recently so that it was easier to manage. Sanji unclenched his fingers to brush through them himself.

"Perona did it so that you can cut it easier."

After opening and closing the scissors, Law exhaled shortly. "Do you even want it cut?"

"I _do_ ," Sanji reassured him hastily, but his expression clearly showed his reluctance. Luffy ventured over with a curious expression, leaning against the window seat with both hands and sniffing the long strands with a deep inhale.

"You smell like smoke and ass," he said with an observant look. Sanji pushed him away with an impatient sound. " _Hurry up_! Hurry up, Law, then come look at the things we found."

"There's a lot of books you might like to see," Sanji then told Law quickly, before Luffy could. "Brook found them. They're medical _tomes_. Tomes is a fancy word for a book."

"Law, do you want to be a doctor?" Luffy asked curiously, resuming leaning over with his big black eyes peering up at Law curiously. Law wondered how the kid obtained his odd looking scar underneath his eye. "That's so _cool_ – you can fix me when I get all banged up doing manly things."

"Law wants to be a doctor," Sanji insisted, "because - !"

"Both of you are giving me a headache," Law muttered, fiddling with the scissors once more. He looked to the blonde strands, and clumsily ran his fingers through, Sanji's back stiffening up as he prepared himself for the first cut. "Are you _sure_ you want this cut?"

" _Do it_ , you sissy."

Luffy watched intently as Sanji's voice trembled. After Law didn't move, Luffy scoffed, "It's just _hair_!"

"It's not _just_ hair," Law muttered impatiently, "it means something to him."

"It was a status symbol," Sanji explained to Luffy quietly, "but it means nothing, now."

Luffy gave him a skeptic look. "Why? That you are a wannabe girl?"

" _NO_!"

"Just that he came from royalty," Law mumbled as Luffy looked puzzled at Sanji's response.

"Now that I am not," Sanji said with a nervous clearing of his throat, fiddling with his fingers, "it makes sense that I cut my hair. So…do it."

"Princess? _Princess_ Sanji!"

" _SHUT UP_!"

"Quiet, stupid," Law snapped at Luffy, looking at Sanji's hair once more. Now that he was given the task, he felt reluctant to take on the responsibility. He scrunched up his face with concentration as Sanji stiffened once more, waiting for him to make the move. Luffy, after vibrating with impatience, reached for the scissors to do it himself.

"I'll do it! It's just hair! Ace cuts mine all the time!"

"And that's why you look stupid!" Sanji snapped at him, pushing him away as Law held the scissors out of Luffy's reach.

Feeling impatient with the entire thing, Law grabbed a handful and cut through it. Sanji froze and Luffy's eyes widened while Law found himself hesitating once he gripped the severed strands in one hand. The silence that fell over them felt heavy. Luffy noticed Sanji's face tensing and then starting to crumble. Despite his earlier gung-ho, he reached out and patted the blonde's knee with a sympathetic expression. Law found himself frozen as he stared at the light strands in hand; the frayed ends, the silky light coloring that had earned so much jeering from him in the past. He felt instant regret.

After taking a deep breath, Sanji braced himself. "Now that you did it, do it all!"

Seeing the section of shortened strands, Law realized that this couldn't be fixed. So he swallowed tightly and set aside the handful of hair. Luffy instantly reached out and snagged it, putting it atop of his own head.

"Look at me, I'm Sanji!" he sang, twirling away while strands fell away from him. "I'm so pretty!"

"I'm not pretty!" Sanji snarled after him, then glared at Law with fire in his eyes. " _Hurry up_!"

Reluctantly, Law obeyed. He managed to clumsily cut up to his shoulders and realized he couldn't fashion it into a more reasonable design. But the sight of Sanji with short hair made Law feel funny inside. He wasn't sure what it was, Luffy pirouetting away from them while dropping blonde strands everywhere. Sanji wiped his face with one hand then reached up to examine the cut for himself.

"Don't leave it like that!" he protested shakily. "It still looks girlish!"

"I can't – do it - ! I'll make it look even more funny!" Law exclaimed, seeing that he'd given him a short bob that didn't lessen the kid's girlish appearance. Concentrating on the task, he continued to cut while Luffy snatched more strands and piled it atop of his head. He ran out from the room to shout for the others' attention while Sanji sat stiffly, allowing Law to push and force his head forward so that it was shorter at the neck. Eventually, it turned into a messy trim with uneven strands atop, but Law was reluctant to cut any more than that.

Sanji's shaking hands went to examine his newly revealed shoulder and neckline, touching the shortened strands. But he swallowed tightly, blinking rapidly as his mouth shifted into an awkwardly forced smile. "Do I look more like a boy, now?" he asked Law with a shaky voice.

Law didn't feel any better at all as Sanji struggled to maintain his smile.

"I like it, thank you," he told Law, struggling to reassure him. "You'll see. It'll be easier. It's easier already!"

"You have a big head," Law mumbled uncomfortably, looking down at the strands between them.

"It's full of big brains."

Despite himself, Law snorted, mouth struggling with his own awkward smile. He felt awful. Why this thing was drawing such a disastrous feeling to build up inside of him after feeling terrible already made him feel frustrated again. He wiped his nose and handed the scissors to Sanji.

"Cut mine," he ordered as Sanji gave him a puzzled look. "Just…cut it! Just cut it short. I don't know, like Luffy's, or - !"

"It's already short."

" _Just do it_. Just cut it wherever, I don't care. Just cut it."

Sanji studied him with uncertainty, then traded him places. They could hear Luffy shouting with outrage from somewhere within the building, but Brook was laughing merrily once more. After a few minutes of snipping around his neck and ears, Sanji stood back and winced.

"I made your head look like a mushroom," he whispered with apology, Law reaching up to find that his hair had been cut severely short around his ears and neck, with uneven strands around his crown and forehead. He was too tired to feel self-conscious about it, sighing heavily as he looked down at the blue-black strands around him, mixed with Sanji's longer hair.

"Are you…sad about what happened?"

Law found himself bothered by the soft question. His first reaction was to lash out at the kid for even bothering to ask, but he held back because maybe there wasn't a point to hide these things, anymore. Several moments of consideration made the kid impatient. He was then startled at the feel of the scissors pressed against his neck.

"I can stab you to death and no one can save you," Sanji then hissed at him, but Law couldn't take him seriously because the threat was given with much childish effort and the kid was near tears, anyway.

"Knock it off. You couldn't kill someone if you tried. You'd cry," Law scoffed impatiently, knocking the scissors away from his throat.

"No I wouldn't. Then you'd be free. That's what you want, right?"

Law twisted his head to look at him, seeing the kid's face droop with disappointment. Once Sanji noticed that Law was looking at him, he made to threaten him again but Law took the scissors away and placed them away from his reach.

"Don't be dumb," Law then said with a low sigh, feeling unsettled by the seemingly new look to the boy. _Now_ he looked like a boy – but the harshness of the new haircut revealed too much and made Law realize he would miss seeing that messy hair nest of his. He cleared his throat. "I _guess_ you look like a boy…"

"I look stupid."

"Yeah…"

Sanji sniffled, struggling to repress his expression and failing. Law watched him struggle, wincing because it was suddenly uncomfortable for both of them.

"I don't know, maybe if you put effort into it, you'd look _okay_ ," Law then said, struggling to give a compliment and finding it awkward to give. He felt stupid for encouraging him. Sanji gave him a look of revulsion.

"Like I'd _want_ to look good for you."

"I hope you don't because that's just gross, anyway! You're just a stupid kid!"

"And you're a stupid mushroom head!"

Law huffed, finding himself reaching up to touch his shorn hair with some self-conscious action while Sanji covered his newly bared neck with both hands. Both of them sat in silence, looking down at hair that sat in patches at their laps and on the window seat.

To answer Sanji's earlier question, Law then mumbled, "And…I do. Feel that…because that was…knowing that I was powerless to do anything."

Sanji looked at him with red eyes but he seemed to cheer up when he was answered. He sniffed as his small shoulders relaxed a little. "It's okay to feel sad," he then offered, "because you're not an adult. You ended up saving us _twice_. Ace couldn't kill that monster. And we get another day to do stuff. And we met Brook and Perona. And found out that Corazon was still alive. And that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't done all that."

Despite his earlier feelings of heavy guilt, Law had to take that into consideration. But he wasn't going to allow that to fix anything. In the eyes of a child, he supposed anything he did would be a big thing to them. He nodded, his mind seeking a proper reply.

Law was surprised when Sanji suddenly hugged him from behind.

" _Thank you_!" Sanji said, squeezing him before jumping off the window seat with the scissors and racing off, ears noticeably red before he disappeared. Law wasn't sure what that was about, still feeling the weight of the kid's hug on his skin.

In the end, Perona ended up cutting all the kids' hair with a set of clippers, Brook watching with concern. She trimmed up Law's hair and fashioned Sanji's into a reasonable style. She sheered through Sabo's and gave Ace a light trim. Corazon was forcing Luffy to wash his hair, as he'd slapped on everyone's discarded hair atop of his so that he could attempt to look like Brook.

Later that evening after dinner, Law found the pile of books that the boys had found for him. The library was big enough with plenty of space to keep the kids amused while they waited out the rain outside. The pile of books were placed near a smaller fireplace on the second floor that gave Law some privacy to himself. It had once been an archive room; windowless, with a metal door that required two keys to access. But the door was propped open by a stack of concrete blocks and there were candles alit inside. There were a few rolls of paper available for him to use, along with a set of pencils. A hot tea kettle and homemade tea bags were delicately propped up on a plate nearby, along with some clumsily made snacks.

Law was aware that they were all tip-toeing around him – but with Ace openly glowering at him – and that made him feel guilty for his mood. He would have appreciated the gesture back at Spider Miles, for Doflamingo allowed him whatever mood he was in, but now Law felt undeserving of it. After all, he told himself, he wasn't the only one to have escaped death.

He flipped through the books with interest, finding new material he hadn't seen before and old articles he was familiar with. He couldn't seem to relax enough to begin absorbing the information he found, restlessly flipping through pages with a struggle. Corazon knocked on the door, and Law reluctantly allowed him his company.

"Once the rain lets up," Corazon said slowly, smelling heavily of smoke as he sat down on a bench crowded with books nearby, "we'll leave. The river nearby – it branches out into the main one we'd crossed. It'll take us away from here. I can find the colony from there, and we'd be okay."

Law fiddled with the pages of his book, feeling the weight of his sullen expression on his face. "Doffy will continue looking for us."

"Maybe." Corazon wore an uncertain frown. "But I'm sure he'd give up after awhile. The alliance he had with the Vinsmokes…it was on shaky terms, anyway. Children are known to get lost very easily."

"How many more people will have to die because of this?"

"It'll be on Doffy's hands, Law. Not yours." Corazon then pierced him with a look. "None of this was your fault. Stop taking needless responsibility of it."

Law frowned at him.

"It was _my_ responsibility to keep you guys close, but my plan failed, and therefore, _I_ failed you two. You're just learning your abilities, you can't possibly think you could save everyone. But you saved _some_ lives. Yours, and the kids'."

"But at the cost of how many other people, Cora?"

Corazon swallowed tightly before saying, "Those kids told me what happened. Despite the promise Shanks had made with the others, clearly, those people had wanted _all_ of you safe no matter what."

Law stared at him with bitter regret. "At the expense of their own lives? It's not fair…our lives don't guarantee more."

"Instead of wasting your time living your life with regret, learn to live your life being grateful for what you already have!" Corazon wore a frustrated expression. "You were given so many chances to _live_ , Law! You aren't even grateful for being able to breathe another day, or to understand how many had given their lives just so you can be here."

Because Law was aware of how easy life was taken away, those swirling feelings inside of him had him mumbling petulantly, "No one asked them to."

"I understand growing up without your parents, and having no choice in your marriage was…all of it….frustrating and very…unfair…but you have a new chance to make it yours," Corazon added. "It seems like you were able to do something fantastic with your abilities. Those kids mentioned you took that thing apart from the inside."

Law stared down at the book he had opened in his lap. He was looking at a pair of pages with detailed anatomies of all genders. When he didn't say anything, Corazon tried again.

"I think that – "

"More people will die, Cora," Law then said slowly, lifting his hands from the book. His expression was grim, unwavering. "Being away from the safety of a colony allowed me to see just what people really think of us. We're just things to people, not…not humans."

"Not everyone thinks that way – "

"I refuse to speak of us as a set in front of others. Those kids laughed when Sanji tried to explain to them what we are. I only have my powers because of this."

"For your protection – "

"And this damn bond won't go away until one of us is dead so I can't make any decisions without having him near me," Law continued over him, "so I'm as much shackled to him as he is to me. I can't make a choice without him, so much of the choices I make in life aren't of my own free will – they're to include him, too. I can't even be an individual."

"…I understand…"

"Those suppressants would allow me a chance to take at least some time away from him to do what I want without having to think about what he's doing. And he can't even feel the same way towards me because he's just a stupid kid that doesn't know what that shackle feels like, yet. By the time he _starts_ feeling that way, both of us won't have a choice in doing something other than breeding. Like… _animals_. So why do people have to die because all I want is medicine for some time away to feel like a fucking human being?"

Corazon shifted uncomfortably. "When I'd heard of this colony – "

"Even _if_ we get there," Law interrupted, "Doffy will find out. And he'll ruin that, too."

"Not exactly."

"I'm tired of having people die around me, Cora," Law asserted quietly. "…I'm _tired_."

Corazon's lips thinned. "So, are you saying you'd rather just…return to Spider Miles?"

"Doffy wouldn't kill any more people once we returned."

" _Doflamingo_ has been killing other people since before you arrived to Spider Miles, Law. For territory, for shallow disputes, for reputation! That's what he does, and _none_ of it is your fault! You can't appease the monster by sacrificing yourself, and even if you did return, do you honestly think your life will improve? Half of the shit you've learned so far on your own, you would've _never_ known! He knew you were too smart, he knew he had to do something to discourage you! This is one of his tactics, and it's fucking ridiculous that he'd wage war against a mere teenager! Much like how you wage war against a nine year old!" Corazon ended with exasperation, hands jerking about with emphasis.

Law continued to wear a sullen expression.

"Going back won't solve any problems," Corazon added stiffly. "You just have to keep moving forward, Law. This bond you two have? It's an unfortunate circumstance, but it's one that can be useful for you both."

"Shanks is an alpha, isn't he?"

Corazon shifted in his seat with a puzzled look. "No. He's actually an omega."

Law looked confused as he was corrected. Corazon chuckled at his expression.

"There's a lot of misconceptions out there regarding sub genders, and you were only fed those as a way to keep you tethered. But, yes, he's…I told you before, omegas have their own abilities that they grow into. He was wandering around quite freely, wasn't he? Making his own choices, influencing others – yes, he was in a rush to get back to his pair, but I assure you he'll be gone just as quickly for another length of time away from his alpha." Seeing Law's expression lighten with some relief caused Corazon a wan smile. "The suppressants do help."

"…Does he have kids, too?"

"I don't know him too well to give away personal information. There's hope, Law. Unfortunately in these times, it's slim and it's often pocked with tragedy but…it's there."

Law looked back down at his book, feeling discomforted. "But there will be more deaths upon my hands because of my own selfish reasons. I was given these abilities to – _fix_ life as much as I destroy it."

Corazon frowned tightly. "We can't think of it that way."

Law only regarded him with grim understanding, already settled in his decision. Seeing that the teen was too stubborn to allow any other thinking, Corazon realized he wouldn't get any further with him right now. He shifted upon his seat, elbows upon knees and hands clasped together. When he realized he couldn't find anything else to say, Corazon left wordlessly.

Law scratched at his newly cut hair, uncomfortable with the style. But his appearance didn't matter, anymore, he felt. He lacked confidence in himself.

Hours passed when he was finally able to absorb the things he was looking at. The library had fallen quiet by the time he'd noticed, and only because the stillness was unwelcome. He did hear soft snores coming from the hallway, thinking that the kids had passed out somewhere nearby. He was writing down a few outlines when he heard a light curse outside the doorway. Law's heart leapt into his throat with fear as his pencil scratched over the paper when his hand gave an involuntary jerk.

Brook peered in, and that nearly gave Law a heart attack in itself. He wasn't used to the man's appearance.

"You have a _terrible_ guardian," Brook said lightly, ducking to enter. He was carrying a tray with new snacks and a heated tea kettle that still wafted with steam. "Unable to keep watch or give out any security alerts…anyway, I've come to refresh your refreshments."

"Why do you look like that?" Law then asked, watching him replace the first tray with the second.

"Well, long ago," Brook began, his tone light and soothing, "the outbreak happened. Many people died in the first infestation. I was one of them. Unfortunately, I _didn't_ die. I just rotted to this svelte appearance and lived for years after. Still don't have a clue why…but my hair is gorgeous, you have to admit…"

Law furrowed his brow with consideration, quite certain sub genders had started making its appearance long after that time period, when the human population began to dwindle to dangerously low amounts.

"And Perona?"

"Same story. There's actually many of us out there, we just haven't been discovered, yet."

"Are you…a monster?"

"I hope not!" Brook whispered with shock, causing Law exasperation. "You know, they say animals and children are good judgement of a person's character. I must have the very best because animals love me enough to want to chew on me and children scream with delight at the sight of me."

Unable to find humor in his mirth, Law just waited for the skeleton to stop giggling to himself.

"I haven't seen children in so long," Brook continued, sitting delicately upon the bench Corazon had abandoned hours ago, "that I have no idea how to interact with them. So teenagers are tough to negotiate."

"I've never been an easy person to get along with."

"Why is that?" Brook asked, pouring himself some coffee. Realizing that it was coffee, Law set his pencil aside and allowed the man to serve him, too.

"Because…" Law thought about all the reasons why he wasn't a pleasant person to get along with. But he couldn't find anything fitting to give.

"Were you allowed to be a child?"

"Yeah. Until I saw all that."

"And now?"

"…I could get soft. And I'm no good soft. Especially with these powers."

"You're an alpha."

"I don't want to talk about that."

"You don't have to." Brook sipped at his coffee and Law couldn't help but stare, wondering where it went. He waited to hear the fluid collect on the floor after, but no sound came. So he furrowed his brow as Brook enjoyed his coffee, not bothering to entertain his curiosity. "The children mentioned you'd taken apart a monster…"

"I did. My magic…I can form this…room. And I somehow…attune myself to the subject in front of me. I have to look at it, or otherwise I don't…merge."

"That's interesting."

"I can take things apart, but putting them back together is difficult because I haven't gotten that far into my studies. So…I don't."

Brook lowered his cup, his dark eyes seemingly enlarging with interest. He set his cup aside and gestured grandly at himself. "Then let me offer myself to be your first subject! Look at me – I'm just bone!"

Aghast, Law stared at him. The idea was interesting, but he wasn't certain about the little details in between. What if he couldn't put Brook back together, or somehow killed him? His hand shook with nervousness as he set his own cup down.

Brook stood, removing his jacket to reveal an old t-shirt over jeans that were patched together. "We're both men here, so don't be alarmed if you see something that is smaller on you."

Law gave him an exasperated look as Brook once again giggled to himself, removing all of his clothes. But it fascinated his curiosity to see that the man's skeletal structure was just that – save for the brush of dark hair atop of his skull. Brook covered himself reflexively, then laughed noisily as he danced about.

"I'm a hit at Halloween, I assure you!"

"Do you feel pain?"

Brook paused in mid-dance, then contemplated the question. He shrugged as Law then told himself that was a dumb question if Brook didn't have any nerve endings. "Let's find out together," Brook then said lightly, clapping his hands together.

"Why are you naked?" Sanji asked sleepily from the doorway, peering in. Brook shrieked and covered himself once more – arm over his chest and another over his pelvis.

"He's going to let me take him apart," Law told him. "What are you doing? Go back to bed!"

"I can't, now," Sanji complained, crawling in, dragging a pile of blankets with him. Law realized it was his snores he'd heard earlier. "I can help. I can write."

Law made to reject the offer when he realized that the kid could be helpful in taking notes while he concentrated on holding his room in place. So while Brook laughed and made a big show of his 'nakedness', dancing in front of the fire place, Law showed Sanji where to make notes in a page he'd found of skeletal anatomy, and the kid assured him he was awake to do this.

Many hours later, Brook walked into the appointed dining area, causing screams of surprise from those that were sleepily waiting for breakfast. His head was off-center, his ribs were misplaced, and his shoulders were crookedly clinging to half completed arms that were attached to the wrong joints. He screamed back in response, covering his chest with arms meant for the opposite side. He then laughed merrily as Sabo fainted and Corazon struggled to regain his stoic appearance. Ace's mouth dropped open and Luffy lost his breath, face locked with revulsion. Perona's darkly lined mouth dropped open with horror, her pale shoulders cringing.

Law followed, looking at the skeleton with anxiety, clearly lacking sleep. "I just need a little more time! My assistant fell asleep!"

"Looks like you'll be staying for a little longer," Brook then told Corazon lightly. He waved at the boys with his left hand attached to his right forearm, which clung to his left humerus, which was stuffed into his right scapula.

"You don't feel any pain at all?" Corazon asked with a perplexed reaction.

"Just a little out of line! But no pain," Brook assured him, looking down at himself. He adjusted a rib, then rapped on his sternum. "It only feels like I'd slept funny…"

"You don't have a body to feel that!" Perona snapped at him, slowly drawing her mouth closed.

"You're right! I don't! Yo ho ho ho hoho!" Brook laughed, flailing his arms and causing many expressions of disgust.

" _It's not funny_!"

Luffy laughed loudly. "You're so funny, Brook!"

"No, he's not!"

"I can fix him, I just need a little more time," Law assured Corazon with alarm.

"You need a little more _sleep_ ," Corazon corrected him. "Go on. It's still raining. You can rest. Perona's going to show the kids a few places nearby while I make a run to the closest town to see if I can find word on Doffy's whereabouts."

"What if he comes here while you're gone?" Law then asked as the kids returned their attention to Brook, who patiently told them the names of each bone that was currently sitting out of line.

Corazon smiled at Law gently, trying to reassure him that it wasn't his responsibility to bear. "Don't worry. Zombies would find no interest here. There's a lot of dead here, already. Brook and Perona will be of valuable assistance if it should come to that."

Law wondered what he meant by that, furrowing his brow. But as he saw the trio occupied with trying to fix Brook, he realized he could use some sleep. He knew he wouldn't be able to relax enough to sleep for very long with the thought that anything could happen if he rested, but he did recognize that he was holding himself hostage. He nodded faintly, looking at Brook with reluctant action.

"Go on," Corazon prodded, nodding towards the stairway. "Go get some sleep."

After some hesitation, Law turned and left the room, Corazon watching him go with a fading smile. He exhaled lightly, noticing that the kids were too entertained by Brook to notice the exchange. Smiling in their direction, he drummed his fingertips atop of the table with withdrawal crying for mercy in his system before he rose from the bench and excused himself.


	8. Chapter 8

**: : Eight**

* * *

Ace looked over at the kid thumbing through some fairytales, Luffy snoring loudly as Sabo concentrated on a series of teen adventures he had stacked nearby. Ace had been looking at an animal encyclopedia when he'd finally noticed that the chatterbox was abnormally quiet.

"Hey, kid," he said, lowering the book to his lap. Sanji glanced at him, pausing in mid-page flip. "What's your problem?"

"I don't have one. Don't call me kid," Sanji then mumbled, newly cut hair hanging over his face as he resumed looking at his book.

"Are you that bummed you got your hair cut?" Ace asked with a sneer.

" _No_." But Sanji wore a heavier frown because of this, one hand automatically snaking up to cover the back of his neck.

"Boys don't need their hair that long, anyway," Ace scoffed, Sabo looking over at him with warning. Ace ignored the look.

"Says the boy wearing a _bob_ ," Sanji muttered low. "Lord Farquad…"

"My _ears_ ," Ace said as an excuse, fiddling with them before frowning at him. He had no idea who 'Lord Farquad' was, but he wasn't about to admit that. "That big kid still mad at everyone?"

"He's never _not_ mad."

"Something fishy about him."

"That's just _you_ you're smelling."

Ace sighed noisily, closing his book. "I see we're gonna have to do this the hard way..."

" _Ace_ ," Sabo said with warning, tensing as he realized the other boy was going to use physical action to get his way. Sanji looked at Ace with caution, tensing over his book. "This is quiet time."

Ace rubbed his forehead, frustrated with the events as they were. "I feel like words are needed, here, but I don't know which ones. Everything about it – I feel like we're gonna go off in different directions again. So I just want a straight story 'bout _why_."

"I'm just a stupid kid," Sanji said lightly, flipping through the pages to find the story he wanted to read. Ace scowled at him. "I don't know nothing."

" _LIAR_!"

"How am I lying? I really don't know nothin'!" Sanji folded the top corner of the page and set the book aside before adjusting the collar of his blouse. Then he gave Ace a challenging look. "So _you're_ going to have to convince me that I'm _not_ lying."

"You two," Sabo interrupted with a heavy sigh, rising from his spot at the table. "Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere."

"This brat always has to take the hard road," Ace huffed with impatience.

"Life isn't easy, so why do I have to be?" Sanji complained.

Sabo set his book down, crossing his arms over his chest. "Ace, I'm sure if you're nicer about things, you'll get what you want. Sanji, not everyone wants to fight you all the time."

"I've spent most of my life fighting my own siblings, and _then_ Law, and now I'll take on any challenge from any boy that thinks I'm a sissy!"

Ace glowered at him, fists clenched. "One day, you'll get your ass kicked so hard you won't do it again! I swear to you, I'll be that ass kicker!"

Sanji flippantly waved a hand at him. "That day isn't this day!"

"Knock it off, you two!" Sabo exclaimed with exasperation. He swiped a hand through his buzzed hair as the pair glared at each other. To Sabo, it felt like Sanji was just trying to prove himself because when he was with Luffy he was another different kid entirely. Lost in the moment, Sanji would catch himself enjoying _being_ a kid and abruptly shift back to this one once he realized his shields were down.

Wherever the pair had come from, it was obvious that they were treated finely; Law was a spoiled kid without social grace but his book smarts weren't going to get him that far; Sanji was an adventurous kid but there was a certain secrecy to him that forced him to enjoy without others noticing, and if someone noticed, he grew obtusely defensive in a way that he grew aggressive.

Sabo reached out and grabbed the picture book Luffy had been looking at, and tossed it to Ace. Ace had no idea why he would want to look at something with some ogre named 'Shrek' on it and frowned.

"Sanji, remember that time you said something about having babies?" Sabo asked when Sanji looked insulted, reddening.

" _I didn't_! I misunderstood something, and that was my fault!"

"I also couldn't help but notice you both have the same scar on this finger," Sabo continued, ignoring Sanji's cry as he wiggled his left ring finger. Ace made to look but Sanji quickly clapped a hand around that one to hide the scar. "Corazon there mentioned he was hiding you two from somebody that was looking for you, so…I guess what Ace is trying to say is, are you nervous you'll be taken back there?"

"No, I wasn't – " Ace made to deny when Sabo shot him a warning look, Sanji observing this with a frown.

Sanji then looked to Sabo, still hiding the scar. "Corazon said he wasn't going to take us back. I heard him tell Law he was going to take us to the colony Shanks had told us about. That's where we're all going."

"I can't do colonies," Ace muttered. "No more…"

"This Doflamingo guy sounds like real bad news," Sabo continued with some uncertainty, "but it makes sense that he'd go about destroying things if that kid has valuable powers. So…do _you_?"

"No."

Sabo waited for him to elaborate, but Sanji just stared at him in observant silence. "Why does he have powers?"

"I don't know."

Ace showed his teeth. "You _do_ know! That stupid face of yours says ya do!"

"No, it doesn't. It _says_ that you're just an idiot."

Sabo sighed noisily as Ace lunged at him, the kids rolling over Luffy as they snarled at each other. Luffy grunted, blinking open heavy eyes. Upon seeing the pair rolling about, he sat up. He quickly picked up the Shrek book he'd abandoned and opened it upside down without looking at it.

"I must've just closed my eyes for a second," he chuckled, eyes closing once more as Sabo gave him a patient look. He ended up separating Ace and Sanji, forcing them to sit away from each other.

"I didn't know this was a sensitive subject," Sabo then complained to Sanji as he fixed his clothes with a huff and Ace glared off in the opposite direction. "Why is it?"

"I'm not supposed to talk about it," Sanji replied sullenly.

Sabo left it at that. He wasn't a stranger to Law's outbursts. The older kid was a little scary to deal with. "Okay."

"Kinda sucks that people are dying because of you two," Ace then muttered bitterly, Sanji shooting him a furious look.

"Ace, stop. It's not their fault!" Sabo snapped at him. "Kids don't got any say when it comes to adult decisions, and that's _that_ adult's decision to do. Nobody has to kill anybody and _that_ one's obviously deranged."

Ace sighed noisily.

"Wherever Shanks comes from," Sabo added, "he's got all sorts of confidence in that it wouldn't fall if that Doflamingo guy gets there. All Shanks ever said about it was that there were plenty of other kids there, and people get all excited about that. We ain't that much, anymore. If they're willing to protect us, it must be a very good place."

"I don't wanna go to another colony!" Ace complained. "There's rules and stuff. They won't let me be me. They'll try to change me…"

"Into a reasonable adult?" Sanji sniffed. " _That_ could be a problem cuz you're such a caveman..."

"Shut up, kid!"

"We won't be able to play outside, anymore?" Luffy asked with concern.

"I don't know what kind of society it is," Sabo interrupted, "but it sounds nice! Besides, look at Shanks, you guys! He wanders about all over the place! Doesn't look like he has any rules to follow…"

"Will we be able to eat a lot, you think?" Luffy asked, still wearing an expression of concern. Then it wrinkled. "Do you think we'd have to go to school, or something?"

" _School_!" Sabo repeated dreamily. "I hope there's girls there, too!"

Sanji and Ace lit up while Luffy pouted.

"I don't care about no stupid girls," he muttered.

"I hope they're pretty," Brook added, startling them all. He was sitting near Luffy, legs crossed as his face reflected excitement. Luffy whooped, leaning over to hug him as Sabo looked as if he were repressing a heart attack, Ace's eyes wide at the man's stealth.

"Maybe there will be some old ones for you," Sanji told Brook, almost snidely.

Brook pouted, clutching his ankles. "But I want ladies with _boobs_ , not grandmas like me…"

"HAH! You called yourself a grandma!"

" _No I didn't_!"

All of them laughed in response, Brook joining in moments later.

"This sure sounds like a wonderful place for you all," he then said with positivity. "I'm sure once Corazon is able to get you there that it'll all work out just fine."

"Will you be going with us?" Sabo asked him curiously.

"Probably not," Brook replied. "This place here…it seems to be the only one where Perona and I can exist. This is a land for the dead."

"You can go with us anyway," Luffy scoffed. "It'd be cool to have an old guy like you with us! You can scare away anyone that tries to bother us."

"I certainly can!"

"Brook, do you know about this place?" Sabo asked him curiously. "You've lived long enough, right?"

Brook bowed his head. "I've heard of it. It's where all the children are taken and allowed to flourish. It's a good place…"

"Why hasn't society changed to allow previous towns to flourish like that one?" Sabo asked curiously.

Brook began to look a little nervous. "Because…it's an island. It is surrounded by the sea."

The four kids lit up with awe, so Brook lit up with response. "It's a month's worth of travel on the water and then the island is supposed to be just as grand as the land is here. Plenty of room to explore and live within relative safety. You can grow safely into adults then move on, if you decide, to come back here."

"Sounds suspicious," Ace muttered, eyes narrowing. "What if we aren't allowed to leave?"

"Shanks does. Freely. Shouldn't that be a good indication of your free will?"

"Why hasn't anyone conquered it, yet?" Sanji then asked. "That sounds like ripe land."

Brook leaned in to whisper, "Maybe no one else can find it. Perhaps this Shanks is the only one that can lead others to it."

"He sounds like a Piped Piper."

"What's that?" Ace asked immediately.

"The story of the Piped Piper goes like this," Sanji explained, opening up the fairy tale book once more and finding the page, "he led rats from plague infested areas to drown to save towns. So _we_ might be the rats led to drown…what does Shanks get out of this?"

Brook cleared his throat. "Perhaps the rats needed a new place to live, away from humans that refused to move away from their own excrement. After all, the humans provided rats food and room, allowed them to flourish, then punished the rats for plaguing them."

Sanji frowned at Brook, closing his book. "Sounds like something adults do…"

Brook cleared his throat again and clapped his hands as the boy continued to scowl at him. "But Shanks isn't like that! He genuinely seems to enjoy children. After all, if he didn't, he wouldn't have found you all, would he?"

"He's probably gathering us into an army to use to come back and kill every asshole out here," Ace mused, looking interested in the concept. Sabo's eyebrows lifted as Luffy looked excited and Sanji continued to frown. "I wouldn't mind that type of revenge…"

"Er…"

"I don't know if I want to be someone that follows someone else's rules," Luffy said slowly.

"I'm going to remain positive about this," Sabo decided.

"If there are kids like us there, then perhaps we're just being gathered as a collection like the adults do here," Sanji thought out loud. "And kept like prize rats."

"I like the army idea better."

"You would because you don't know any better."

Brook fretted as Ace lunged at Sanji, both of them fighting each other while Luffy continued to wear a pensive expression and Sabo looked bothered. Tapping his fingertips against his teeth, Brook whispered, "I might have made a boo-boo out of this…"

"Don't worry about it," Sabo assured him with a tired sigh. "We're a bunch of morons that are suspicious of everybody. I guess we kinda have to be, considering how we grew up."

"I'm going to have someone else fix this," Brook decided as the kids' shouts began to grow, Luffy joining in the fight without knowing what he was fighting for. "I just wanted to check up on you guys."

" _Thanks_ , Brook," Sabo muttered as he watched the trio fight amongst each other.

An hour later, Corazon looked troubled by the sight of three kids with visible fight wounds and one exasperated kid. Brook had given him a heads up, but it was apparent that he was of no help. Corazon smoked pensively at his hand rolled cigarette as Luffy sniffled and rubbed at his eyes, Sanji looked unapologetic and Ace looked accusing.

"You guys are a pain in the ass," Corazon decided, flicking ashes to the side as the rain fell ahead of them with soft grace. They'd found him smoking near a stone bench and a long faded No Smoking sign near a concrete trash can that had already grown a sapling from it. The world outside of the library was wet and cold, their breath visible as they breathed. "Stop taking things out of context. It is what it is."

" _Is_ it a safe place? It isn't a place where we're gathered to train and fight and come back like bad asses?" Ace asked, voice loud against the quiet of the outside.

"Or are we put into cages and checked upon for progress?" Sanji accused, thin arms crossed over his chest. "Because I refuse. I will run away."

" _I don't wanna go to school and meet girls_!" Luffy wailed while Sabo sighed.

"Who the hell filled your head with those stupid things?" Corazon snapped at them.

" _Sanji_ said - !"

" _Ace_ told me - !"

"Sabo _threatened_ \- !"

" _I didn't say that_ \- !"

" _SILENCE_!"

All of them fell quiet as Corazon snapped at them, voice booming out over their voices. He inhaled at his cigarette once more.

"You children need to stop thinking like assholes. All of you trusted that man once you met him. You decided he was safe. He did things to make you safe. And you come up with idiotic lies like that to convince yourself otherwise, and shit on his efforts with your fears. Don't think so dull. You children had come this far because you've already survived. To convince yourselves that something is new and scary is a shitty way of thinking. To think I'd had hope in your futures."

All of them look chastised.

"Get out of my sight with that shit," Corazon then hissed at them, causing them to scramble back into the library. He then returned his attention the rain with a nervous expression, sure he'd made it right.

The four then tromped up the stairway back towards the main room, where they could hear Brook playing the violin.

"He's kinda mean," Ace whispered to Sanji.

"Nah. He acts mean to kids but he's really just scared of us because he don't know how to act. He gets all whipped around Law."

" _Law's_ mean."

"He is."

"I think it's just because he saw too much, so he's damaged," Sabo whispered back.

"Law just needs to poop," Luffy decided. " _Then_ he'll feel better."

"You think everyone feels better if they poop!"

"What shit are you kids talking about?" Law asked menacingly from the hall, causing them all to jump with fright. Without answering him they ran in the opposite direction from him. Too irritated to bother, Law wandered away, set on exploring the building by himself.

The kids gathered up in the children's section of the library, Sabo lighting candles carefully while the others caught their breath and relaxed. They ended up amusing themselves with naps and exploring teen books that had adult subjects in them. By the time evening fell and it was apparent that the rain wasn't letting up soon, the kids retreated to their bedroom area; it was once an office, but was fitted with cots and a loveseat that was piled with various blankets and pillows to keep them warm. Perona came in to berate them for minimal things, clearly as impatient with them as Law was – the kids spent some time musing on how old the girl was as they were settled into their beds.

Once he heard the beginnings of their snores, Sanji rose from his bed, grabbed a couple of the blankets and the book of fairytales just in case, and left the room. It wasn't that he couldn't sleep with them because he was scared or nervous; he'd prefer their company. But there was something inside of him that left him restless and uneasy, something that wasn't fear. Sanji couldn't explain the feeling, but it only seemed to go away once he came into contact with the older boy.

He hoped Law was either reading or sleeping so the older boy couldn't yell at him for intruding into his space. Sanji was so tired that his eyes twitched and his feet kept stumbling as he walked, but his body moved with determination to get there.

Once he reached the archive room, he heard the flipping of pages and the tight sketch of pencil over paper. The candles flickered, casting shadows on the floor so Sanji was grateful for that. He quietly made a bed up against the wall just outside of the door, feeling that uneasy sensation ease away. He carefully set the book of fairytales next to his head, in case he needed to grab it.

He stared at the darkness untouched by the candle light, thinking bitterly about his old life. It hadn't been as much fun as he was now having with the trio – his brothers had picked on him constantly, with his elusive older sister keeping her distance from them like they were the plague. His father often looked at the kids much like how everyone else did – like they were mere animals for sale. There had been no warmth in that place, but it was _home_.

Sanji hoped they would stay a little longer – he and Ace might have their arguments but the other kid didn't hold things personally. They could play together and wrestle and fight and do boy things that Sanji had only dreamed of doing with his brothers. This was peaceful and fun.

He yawned, repressing the sound behind a hand so Law wouldn't hear him. But he jolted when he heard Law mutter, "The Pied Piper, huh? Are you the one filling those idiots' heads with dumb fairytales?"

Sanji wrinkled his brow. How the hell did Law hear of that? It irritated him that the older boy would spy upon him when _he_ was the one crying about Sanji crowding him all the time.

"Isn't it?" he retorted, pulling the blanket up around his neck. "He just gathers kids and leaves them in one spot."

"Don't act like you didn't like the music when you heard it."

Sanji scowled at the darkness.

"It wasn't just rats that he lured away. It was children."

Sanji wondered what version of the tale was the "right" one. "So, what did he do with them?"

"They were led to a place called Transylvania. It would make sense for Shanks to steal off with children and take them elsewhere where they could be appreciated and decide for themselves what they want to do with their lives." Law didn't bother adding that he thought the kids were trafficked and sold because they were already living that part of the tale themselves. He didn't know why he was suddenly censoring himself.

"So, you believe in fairy tales, too?" Sanji asked tentatively, looking at his book once more.

Law wondered if he did at this point. He fiddled with his pencil for a moment, then decided answering was too troublesome. He muttered, "Don't bother me, brat. I'm busy."

"I was trying to sleep when _you_ started bothering me!"

Sanji felt frustrated – whenever it seemed they were headed for amicable conversation, Law always seemed to flip the table. Sanji couldn't imagine his reasons why. Once he heard pages flipping again, he rolled over onto his stomach and army crawled over to the door's edge, cautiously peering in. Sure enough, Law was seated at his table with a pile of books and rolls of paper at his feet, candles burning to slumped shapes atop of their bases. Laying his chin atop of his folded hands, Sanji wondered what other fairy tales the older kid was familiar with. He wished he could ask the kid to read the book to him – he was good at reading but it took him a long time and it would definitely be better if someone else did it for him.

"Shanks was an omega," Law then said low, as if he were sharing a secret with him. He gave Sanji an impatient look as he reached for a new pencil. "So it looks like you can have all the adventures you want."

"Are you looking for a cure?" Sanji then asked. "To remove the bond?"

"To perfect my abilities."

"Why can't you just cure us so we don't need medicine?"

Law sighed. "Once again, I'm researching to find out what I am capable of. I can't even begin to think that far."

"You're too old to go there, anyway," Sanji mumbled sullenly. "The Pied Piper only wants kids. Not grumpy old men in kids' bodies."

" _Kids_ …not cows," Sanji heard Law mutter in response.

Sanji flamed with fury, shaking out of his blankets and striding in. He then kicked the table, upsetting the candles and knocking over the piles of books. With angry jerks, he ripped the paper out of Law's hands and tore it as the teen exclaimed with his own anger.

Throwing pieces of paper at him, Sanji shouted, "No wonder my sister threw herself off that shitty cliff! You dumb mushroom!"

He then ran out of the room with a frustrated scream, hearing Law angrily give chase. Once he had the older kid out in the open, Sanji turned suddenly and slammed into his legs to knock him down. Both of them rolled over the concrete floor, Sanji feeling his way to Law's head. Once he found it, he began punching furiously while Law slapped at him, trying to get him off. Both of them rolled off to the left and ended up hitting the stairs. They tumbled down noisily, slamming off the middle rails and finding it difficult to stop themselves. Sanji caught onto the railing with one foot and rolled over to curl his fingers into the material of Law's shirt, slowing his descent. Growling, he made to bite but Law crammed his palm up against his chin just in time.

"What's going on down here?" Brook cried from the third floor, activating a flashlight. "Is it an attack?"

Before either could answer, Corazon grabbed them both by the collar of their shirts and yanked them away from each other. "I got this," he assured the other man as the boys continued snarling at each other. Brook watched as the man dragged them both down the stairs, both of them crying out with pain. He winced, unsure of what to think.

Corazon kicked the front doors open and dragged them out into the cold air, flinging one after the other into the rain soaked front porch. Jolted by the cold temperatures and the wet sensation, both boys shouted out with shock as they recovered from the heat of the moment. They picked themselves up slowly, sure to register their injuries later after their fury subsided.

"Cool off," Corazon ordered sleepily, yanking his cigarettes out from his pocket. It was dark outside, making it difficult to see any further than a few feet in front of him. The continuous pour of rain told him they weren't moving anywhere any time soon. Thunder rumbled gently, so faint that it could have been something else. But the air was abuzz with electricity.

Once he sensed their cooling heads, he snapped at them with his fingers and indicated that they stand before him. They did so reluctantly, wearing sullen expressions and shivering violently in their wet clothes. Corazon had to take a couple of puffs but once he did so, he then faced them sternly.

"I've had it up to _here_ with your shit," he said low, his voice surprisingly menacing for the moment. "Both of you. Lashing out at each other makes you ugly, and makes your head and hearts ugly. Just like that of the man you both are trying to escape. You let him do this to you. You let him win. Is that what you fucking want?"

Both of them wore such sullen expressions that Corazon's mouth twitched with impatience. He lifted his voice just a little.

"Is that what you aspire to be? Just like him?"

"No," both of them replied tersely.

"Then why the fuck do you think trying to kill each other is going to help the situation? Haven't you already experienced enough deaths in your lives?" Corazon looked from one to the other sharply, noting that they were making all the effort they could to avoid looking back at him. "You are a pair whether you like it or not. Saying hurtful things does nothing to fix the matter. Both of you say you hate the man, but you're both reacting in the very same way as he is and you'll both wind up like him. Is that how you want him to win?"

"…No," they both said together.

Corazon then reached out and jerked on their right ears, making them both wince in reaction. "Then knock it the fuck off. I'm tired of this shit. Knock it the fuck off. The only way you two are allowed inside is if you both apologize to each other and fucking mean it. Is that understood?"

"But it's cold, and I already got sick once," Law started to complain when Corazon bellowed out, " _I don't fucking care_! Think about what you're doing and what you're saying, and you _apologize_ because you fucking mean it, not because you're ending it. If you can't do that, then don't come in."

With that, Corazon threw his cigarette out into one of the nearby puddles and strode back inside. The door slammed behind him and locked. Neither of them were aware of how miserable the man was then, slumping against the nearby wall with a hand to his chest. Brook, having ventured down just to make sure things were okay, watched him with sympathy. Perona was plastered against the second floor window overlooking the porch, straining to see what was happening. She left makeup imprints behind as she tilted her face this way and that, palms against the glass.

Outside, the pair stood stubbornly, glaring at the closed doors. Teeth chattered noisily. They hugged themselves as they remained standing where Corazon had left them. Neither of them wanted to make the first move, but both of them were starting to feel guilty for their knee-jerk reactions. Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance and the rain seemed to increase.

After a few minutes, Law looked over at the kid from the corner of his eye. Sanji looked at him from his. Both of them acknowledged that they were now aware of each other. After some hesitation, Law figured he should start first. He was oldest and, he figured, seventy-five percent responsible for some of the trouble he'd caused.

"I apologize," he murmured gruffly. "I shouldn't have called you a…cow."

Sanji judged the weight of the teen's apology, then decided to accept it. "I'm sorry for calling you a mushroom. But, um, despite their taste, they can be very important nutrients."

Law furrowed his brow, indecisive with the comparison. Balling up his fists with nervousness, Sanji then said, "I wish you wouldn't be so mean to me all the time. I lost my family, too. Right now, _you're_ my only family."

Law looked at him with a frown. He did feel bad hearing that. He recalled seeing Sanji's family leave him that unexpected day in the castle hall, and had experienced his own recovery living in a strange place without his family to reach out to. They had near similar backgrounds. He did feel regret for not thinking about that aspect of their relationship.

Hearing Corazon accuse them both of taking on Doflamingo's attitude made Law cringe inside. Some of the things he said and did _did_ remind Law of that man. Now that he could see it, he didn't want to be that man.

He fiddled with his cold fingers, giving a reluctant nod. "Okay. That's fair."

Seeing the older kid's give, Sanji lit up. "Let's grow together, Law! I think we'd make a really awesome pair!"

Law continued to frown, his teenage instinct wanting to reply " _ew_ " at first – but he supposed that perhaps the future would change. Maybe things could change. He gave another reluctant nod. "Yeah, whatever…"

: :

"The rain isn't letting up," Corazon muttered darkly as he stared out the window. A large collection of water had come up and over the first step of the front porch and didn't seem to give an inch. Brook stood next to him with his fingers wrapped around the labels of his own jacket. "We need to move, soon."

"Perona has mentioned that the area is still safe," Brook reported low. "They must have moved north of here."

"Doffy will give up, soon. There's too many traffickers in the area to hold any hope in that these kids are still…on their own. He would have to focus on his broken alliances. The kids he has left – they were tested recently. None of them are any sub gender. Vinsmoke won't share his other kid that easily."

Brook nodded. "This group isn't exactly helpless. They understand what the world is like."

Corazon's hand went to his temples. "I've never had the responsibility of keeping them safe. Forget nurturing. All I want is to get them to their destination alive."

"That's all you can do. The kids will figure it out, soon."

"…Maybe it'd be best if you took them."

"I am but an old, withered man…close to death, even."

Sighing gustily, Corazon pressed his forehead against the glass and frowned out at the weather. "What if those kids were right? _I_ don't even know what this place is. I'd relied on that guy's guidance to get there."

"Sometimes you just need to take charge and hope for the best."

Perona walked up to them silently, head flicking from right to left. They glanced over at her then straightened up with tension as they recognized she was listening the voices that only she could hear.

"People are coming here," she relayed. "They found the game trail. They have guns."

"The basement is the safest place," Brook told Corazon firmly.

"Are you sure? I don't want them to wind up trapped there if something happens to us."

" _Hurry_ ," Perona pressed, before shape shifting into a cat and hurrying off, the tags and bell on her collar ringing out with her movements.

"It'll be _fine_ ," Brook assured Corazon. After some moments of consideration, Brook then said, "I'll do it if I have to."

Corazon considered the possibilities, then exhaled slow. "Or just keep them here. If it's meant to be, Shanks will find them again."

"I would place more faith in those kids, Corazon." With that, Brook headed away to round up the group. Corazon looked back at the window with apprehension, then pulled out a cigarette.

: :

The basement was dark and cold, and despite their hasty escape, the boys were already restless. Law used the flashlight to check the box of supplies Brook had given them – candles, a match box, packaged food. The boys were given instructions to take their warmest clothes and blankets, and those were stuffed already into one corner of the room. Brook had told them that the doors would be unlocked once the coast was clear, and that they were to remain silent.

The youngest were whispering noisily to each other while Sabo and Ace waited pensively near the doorway with their preferred weapons in hand. Law wasn't sure what to expect – just that Perona had seemed to disappear, Corazon was on edge and Brook – well, Brook was a hard man to read.

He felt tense, sure it was Doflamingo's doing. He couldn't hear a thing outside the door. Not knowing the circumstances made them all uneasy.

"We were grouped together to make it an easier kill," he heard Ace mutter.

"No," Sabo whispered back. "This was a good idea. When we're together, there's a good chance of survival. We're strong."

Law listened to their exchange, heart thundering noisily. He considered Doflamingo's motives, the attacks on villages that they'd left behind. Zombies first, with his men to pick off the remains. Everything burned to the ground to clear the way. Brook had told him this basement was once a tornado shelter – they'd be fine if the upper building somehow fell apart.

He swallowed tightly, listening to the kids agitate themselves. Grimly, he hissed, "All of you, _shut it_!"

At their silence, the overwhelming stillness of the shelter and the tension outside was more apparent. He could hear their individual breath. Using the flashlight, he looked at the watch Brook had also given him. It needed to be wound in twelve more hours. Only three had passed.

"I have to go to the bathroom," he heard Luffy whisper urgently, causing Ace to growl under his breath.

"If we are found," Law then said, turning to look at them, "then do exactly as I say. _Exactly_ as I say. I know this man better than all of you, I know what's needed for us to survive. We have to be useful to him. Ace, Luffy – you are brothers. Your mother was an omega. Sabo, you're an alpha. You're untested, but be _aggressive_. Fight with me every chance you get, as aggressive as you can be."

Sabo wore a confused expression, but he nodded solemnly to indicate he understood.

"Why do we have to say - ?" Ace began to complain when Law's expression shut him up.

"Sanji and I will tell him that we were kidnapped. That's all we can do," Law continued, looking at Sanji directly. "We met because of our circumstances and we were forced to stick together. _Is this understood_?"

"There's that subject again," Ace hissed.

Law didn't want to go into detail with it, unconsciously rubbing at the burn scar on his left ring finger. "Be absolutely grateful when Doffy finds us. Make him feel that he did something wonderful. There's always a chance later to plan for something different. There's _always_ a way back out. But to survive and make sure your brother survives – this is necessary acting. Any questions?"

The boys all shook their heads but wore expressions that were indicative of their thoughts. They seemed to listen to him well, and Law was appreciative of that. Apprehensively, Law looked back at the doors. Delicately leaning up against it so that he wouldn't make any noise, he pressed his ear against the metal and listened. Closing his eyes, he recalled seeing minute details of the stairway down. There was debris on the steps.

He stepped back, exhaling low then looked at the watch again.

"In two more hours," he murmured, "if they don't come get us…I'll go out to see what's happened."

"Just you?" Sabo questioned before Ace could.

Law nodded. "Only I can do this."

When it came time, Law looked at Ace and Sabo before glancing at the others. "Do what you can," he told them.

Ace looked at him with doubt. "And what about you?"

"If something happens…I'm not going to say where you are," Law then said carefully, glancing at Sanji and seeing the boy's expression pull with worry.

"So you're just going to trap us in here until we die?"

Law wasn't sure what to tell him because he wasn't sure what he'd be running into. He exhaled heavily, trying to find an appropriate answers children would accept of their doom. He failed.

"Yeah," he finally answered with a shrug. Before they could get angry with him, he formed his room and disappeared, leaving behind a piece of wadded paper in his place.

Outside, Law strained his ears to hear something to indicate that the library was occupied with persons other than them. Delicately, he moved up the stairway, careful to watch his step. The library was utterly silent, and that made him nervous. So he controlled his breathing to keep it low and slow and watched his every step as he cautiously ventured up from the basement stairway. His heart slammed against his chest with nervousness as he clutched the railing.

At the top of the stairway, he paused, glancing from right to left. Seeing no threat, he ventured towards the left, which would take him towards the main staircase. He could hear the rain continuing to pour outside, the windows battered by the moisture. He smelled the smoke of the fireplaces still in use, but he could also hear the sound of the roof leak coming from the fourth floor, hitting the bucket Brook used to catch it. Quietly, he moved about, waiting to hear the scream of zombies or the movement of the living. Peering cautiously around a corner, he peered into the main corridor that would lead him to the stairway. Seeing that it was empty, Law continued on.

He couldn't find anybody. The library was empty. The front doors, when he found them, were still open. With how much rain had fallen on the front porch, he had no idea where anyone could have gone if they'd decided to drag the occupants away from the place. He stared outside with a sort of lost expression, absolutely unsure of what to think.

He spent two hours waiting by the doorway, listening for the adults. The world continued on without pause as he waited, wearing a worried expression. Birds sang merrily while taking cover from the rain, and thunder rumbled. The porch continued to collect water. A dog barked in the distance. The trees continued to stand sturdy against the constant down pour of rain and it felt like he was the only one left in the world. Uncertainty and fear pulsed through his veins. But Law knew it was up to him, now. He was the oldest. He had to take charge.

When he decided it was safe, he went and retrieved the younger children.

: :

Three years after, the group had learned to thrive on their own, using the library as their home base; never knowing what had happened to the three that had given them life in exchange for theirs.

But even as they thrived and eluded adult attention from neighboring towns to become self-sufficient, Law realized that another obstacle was soon to rear its ugly head.

Sanji was starting to experience the first stages of his omega deviations.


	9. Chapter 9

**: : Nine**

* * *

The attack came from all sides. One minute they were investigating the empty traps that were cleverly manipulated from the cover of the terrain and marveling over the size of the monster left behind when the ground left their feet. Scared, the pair cried out with confusion and fright, trying to find something to cling to safely. The net was formed from vines and tightly braided roots that made it near impossible to escape. Held feet above the ground, the pair struggled to catch their breath and concentrate on escape.

"Well well well," a childish voice called out with achievement, emerging from the nearby foliage. "Looks like our diet was meant to try something new and different tonight."

"I'd always wondered what humans tasted like!" another voice agreed, carrying from tree limb to ground, an older boy landing gracefully near his friend.

"Meat is meat!" another rang out mightily, young and vibrant. This one launched from a nearby tree and onto the net with savage growls and snarls, and both men screamed in fright. The dirty face, smeared with red coloring and with crazed expression caused frightful alarm in both.

"Zombie! _Zombie_!" they cried, trying to evade the boy's teeth as he clung to the net.

They then noticed the laughter from down below, the pair clutching their stomachs as they howled. The youngest stopped snapping at them with his teeth and grinned a mouthful of baby teeth. He reached into a dirty pouch at his stomach, withdrawing berries that he then crammed into his mouth. The stain resulting explained his appearance.

"Hi," he said breathlessly. "You guys are our prisoners now."

Confused, the pair were unsure of how to react as they looked at each other then watched the boy withdraw a knife.

" _Wait_ , Luffy," Sabo called out. "Don't cut them down yet. Law needs to see them first."

"Yeah, actually I wasn't lying about the other thing," Ace then mentioned, hand on one hip.

Both men looked them over. The boys were obviously just children - dirty but gracefully fit and built for survival. Their bodies were young but sturdy with hard muscle definition. They were sun touched and wore clothing that had been cared for, carrying weapons that were strong and dangerous. They were frighteningly healthy, which suggested they were well cared for. Which suggested they were part of a bigger group - which renewed fear in them.

"Hey hey, look," the first man said, gripping the net tightly with both hands as his friend struggled to steady himself. "Please. We're not here to cause any trouble. We were just, we were just passing through. We're not - we're not a group, we're not anything. It's just us!"

"Luffy, get down! Get get 'im," Ace directed, waving at the younger boy. With a huff, Luffy hopped down onto the forest floor. It was a frightening distance, causing both men to look from the kid to each other with startled reaction. Once Luffy was gone, Ace looked back up, squinting at them.

He looked about thirteen, they guessed. But his black hair was dreaded in some areas and he had goofy tattoos already on one thin arm. His freckled face was thin but he wasn't starving in any way. He was shirtless with a pair of cargo shorts and boots with stained socks. He moved about with a swagger of a much older man, which suggested he'd already fallen into some vain confidence typical of a boy just discovering his physical worth.

It was amazing to see a group of thriving children - neither of the pair could remember seeing them outside of themselves.

"You lying?" Ace asked suspiciously. "Because we run into a lot of liars around here."

"Are you two a pair?" Sabo asked with the same level of suspicion. He was somewhat cleaner than the others, wearing a t-shirt with rolled sleeves tucked into a pair of patched and well-worn pants, sneakers tied up his ankles. "Neither of you alpha or omega?"

"No," the pair replied cautiously. "No, uh...we don't, we don't know what that is..."

"It's like - you got powers and you're super shitty to other people," Ace explained, still squinting. "You guys got some powers?"

"No...? No, we're ordinary men."

"Where you from?"

"North. We're moving west. That's where we were going until...we got stuck here."

"Sabo? They lyin'?"

"Mmm, I can't tell. They're got some worn boots though," Sabo reported, looking up at their tread worn footwear and noticing their efforts at holding them together.

"Why you guys so poor?" Ace asked.

"We're, uh, scavengers," the second answered clumsily.

"How old you guys?"

"Twenty. Twenty one. It's been awhile since we've seen any kids," he added. "We don't...we've been on our own for a long time..."

" _How_ long?" Ace pressed.

"Why west?" Sabo asked.

"Who is watching over you guys?" the first man asked incredulously. "What village are you from?"

"We don't want any trouble, no - no colonies. Just let us go!" the other pleaded.

"No one watches over us!" Ace huffed indignantly. "We're our own masters of the universe!"

Sabo wore an expression that plainly said otherwise, and the men began to look worried.

Before anything else could be said, a taller boy emerged from the trees with Luffy. He was much older than the trio but not yet a man. His height suggested he wasn't done growing, and he still held a childishly round face. But his eyes made him menacing- they were bright amber and looked at them both with assessing action, the boys looking at him for his reaction. He wore a plain t-shirt over worn jeans, feet stuffed into buckled boots. His animal skin hat looked mended and extended around the rim; he didn't have the rugged appearance of the others but had the presence of muscle in shoulders and chest. He had a very long bladed sword hanging from his back, the strap fashioned out of leather material that his fingers picked at with seemingly nervous energy.

"You belong somewhere?" the teenager asked gruffly. The pair of men thought he looked sick - eyes heavily shadowed and a twitch to his mouth that looked suggestive. His hair line glimmered slightly with sweat. "Anyone going to miss you?"

" _Who are you kids_?"

Ignoring that question, Law demanded, "Are there others in your group looking for you?"

"Wait, why those questions -?"

Impatiently, Law closed his eyes and formed his Room. He extended it for miles, searching for foreign bodies that didn't match the ones around him. He could sense the boys' - their faster heartbeats, strongly pulsing blood and familiar sensation of childish bodies that felt lighter and freer than those of men. He sensed two fluttering, heavier beats of men's hearts that pulsed with panic and previous exertion. Their bodies felt overworked and tender, like tools on the verge of cracking. It caused his forehead to furrow because despite their youthful faces their bodies seemed years older - depicting them as laborers, possibly slaves. They had injuries to them he could feel that they had yet to recover from, a variety that was gained from fleeing. This caused his gung ho feeling to falter. This was much different from the usual they'd found throughout the years, when hunters stumbled upon them while searching for food and supplies.

A flash of empathy hit him. He could identify with them.

He sensed the body of his mate and abruptly cut the Room before he could assimilate into that. Exhaling low, Law opened his eyes.

"If it's just them, I can use them," the teen then told Ace. Their reactions were a display of retching and gags, speaking all at once - it made the pair nervous. Law ignored the dramatics. "Bring them to the garage. Then, for shit's sake, get back home and clean up that mess you made."

With that he walked off, the boys left behind shuddering and cringing, still making a show of displeasure. The men grew nervous.

Ace shrugged, pulling out a rather large knife. "Hey, at least you ain't being eaten, so...I heard you don't feel a thing, too! Could've been worse!"

Nearly an hour later, Sabo pulled out the net as Ace locked the metal cage door. The pair were growing horribly nervous as they took in the sight of the garage. There were anatomical skeletons hanging from the ceiling joists, but also clothes folded in neatly packed rows on shelves below. There were shoes in a row next to that. Odds and ends that made them think those weren't anatomical skeletons in the first place. It was illuminated with lights hung above them, generated by a small box of glowing energy that the men recognized as a car battery.

There was a stand made from wood and wire in front of the cage with an open book on top, with pouches and what looked like gloves sitting next to those. The teen was flipping through the book while mumbling to himself. Sabo kept shooting him nervous looks as Luffy and Ace made sure the cage was sufficiently shut.

"Make sure he has food and water when you get back," Law told Sabo. "Don't fucking even think of chit chat, either!"

"But -!"

"I will tell if you broke my rule, Sabo. Then you'll regret it."

Ace scoffed, straightening up as he dropped the net off to the side. "For the final time this week, Sabo."

Law turned and pinned the boys with a menacing look. "Remember that week when I turned you all into eunuchs?"

All of them winced but they hurried out without any more sass. Hearing the door shut and lock behind them, Law looked at the puzzled faces of his newest victims. His slightly frazzled expression turned eager.

"Gentlemen," he said low, shaking the stand with his grip, "this is my operating room. I welcome you here as test subjects, thank you for your sacrifice."

"What the fuck is going on here?"

"Neither of you are alpha or omega, correct?"

" _No_! What is that?"

"My abilities are at their height right now, and so I need to take advantage of it," Law then said hurriedly. "I gotta do this."

Swallowing tightly, he scoured the pages until coming to the one he needed. With a twitching smile, he asked, "Either of you have any diseases I should know about? Disabilities that need explaining? How about broken or infected wounds?"

Despite their fear, both men looked puzzled. One of them held up his hand tentatively. "His arm is busted. Probably infected..."

"What are you telling him for?" the other screeched.

"I'll look at it," Law then said, creating his Room. The sight of his powers caused both men to gasp noisily, unsure of how to react. Before they could do anything else, that arm dropped from the man's shoulder, and he gave a confused shriek. The other saw what was happening and reacted similarly. Law exchanged it with a rock, and they screeched again.

Clasping his shoulder, the first wheezed, "I can't feel a thing. _I can't feel anything_!"

"What sort of injury is this?" Law asked curiously before unwrapping the stained bandages and giving a retch. He stretched his arm out with a nauseated expression, struggling to compose himself.

"What are you doing? _What are you doing_?" the man cried, beginning to hyperventilate.

"Gun shot wound," the other explained, eyes wide. "We were shot at after we stole some food."

"Are you highway men? Dangerous men? Hunters?" Law asked, pulling on a faded mask that had sunny pictures of a duck and a cloudy sky on them. All by marker, with Luffy's name on it.

"We're scavengers! We were only headed west, to the sea!"

Law paused in locating a scalpel from the folded pouch he had and looked at them. "The sea?" he repeated.

"Yes! Yes, there's a colony there, a -! A land of opportunity! Some guy told us about it some years ago, and we're just now headed there - he told us it was a good place! For kids," he then added morosely. "We were kids back then..."

Law stared at them in silence, then asked tentatively, "Was it a man named Shanks?"

"Yes!" they cried together, nodding furiously. "His name was Shanks! Red hair -!"

" _Scars_!"

"He was with two others, and they promised us it - we'd be better off there!"

"We didn't have a chance then because we were forced into another colony for labor, but we managed to get out and we're going there now."

Law set the arm down on the stand, jaw tensing. He remembered the conversations about the island, the promise of suppressants. His mind roiled with desperation all over again. But the fact that this man had once again given false promises to impressionable people just to fail them...he found it unforgivable.

"He lied to you, too, huh?" he muttered bitterly.

He jolted as the doors slammed open, the sunlight bursting through and briefly blinding the caged men.

" _Law_!" Sanji snarled, causing Law to twitch, gripping that arm with hands that held considerable strength. The man whom it belonged to winced and cried out with alarm, touching the limb that was no longer there.

Sabo panted, coming to rest at Sanji's side.

The twelve year old's face was flushed with effort and fever, eyes bright and shining. His hair seemed to fluff with some sort of magic, healthy and vibrant. He was just a twelve year old boy in a considerably lengthy white shirt over brown pants and cowboy boots, but Sabo kept his distance and the teenager lost his confidence quickly.

"He escaped! Sorry!" Sabo apologized, hurrying after Sanji as he marched in.

"I am not playing prisoner for one more shitty second!" Sanji declared. "I'm sick and tired of that game! I want out!"

"Get back home before I kick your ass!" Law hissed at him. He covered his mouth and nose over the mask with both hands as the smell that emanated from the boy caused his hormones intense interest. His body reacted so strongly that he ended up using the stand to set in front of him as a cover up. Humiliated by the instinctive reaction, he hissed.

"Then do it!" Sanji snarled at him. He noticed the stand, along with the arm and then looked beyond him toward the caged men. Ignoring Law's snarls, he ventured forward to investigate. Both men looked at him, puzzled by the sight of him. Catching the smell coming from him, both men looked rattled. It was too floral, musky - like he'd emerged from a bath of flowers and sweet smelling sweat. He instantly made them uncomfortable with bewildered reactions that made them both recoil with confusion. "What are you doing with these guys?"

"Sabo, take him back home!" Law snarled at Sabo with an indignant look, reddening from the neck up.

"He's too squirrelly! None of the others will help me!" Sabo complained.

"I'm not a damn animal!" Sanji snapped at them. "I am a boy! With weird impulses! Not a leper! And Law told me he'd sit with me later but it's been later _hours_ ago! All I want is to be hugged by my stupid mate. That's what this shit is about, isn't it?"

"SHUT UP!" Law hollered at him, mortified while both men looked extremely uncomfortable.

Sabo looked quite bothered as well as Sanji huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"SABO!" Law cried with exasperation.

"Who the hell are these guys?" Sanji then asked of the men with a heavy frown. His face somehow turned menacing as well. "What are you looking at, scum? You want me to kick ya out of your misery?"

Leaning against the bars, he whispered, "I'm going to learn how to cook you."

"Please don't," one begged in a whisper. "We're stringy!"

"Then I'll make you into jerky!"

" _Gah_!" Sabo cried with exasperation as Law's head snapped around to snarl with venomous rage. Before he knew it, both men seemed to shatter, falling apart limb by limb before they could even register the action. Sanji turned to look at Law furiously, reaching out to grip the cage with one small hand before erupting into fire. Sabo leapt back as the men screamed at the sight.

"All I want us some affection from you when I'm feeling so shitty!" Sanji snarled, heat causing his hair to stand on end. "I'll end their lives so you don't get a chance to play doctor..."

Law's fingers twisted up and jut outward - a couple of metal panels nearby slammed into the kid and wrapped around his arms and torso. Pulling him off the floor, he then pinned him to the ceiling.

Sanji sighed noisily, looking at his dangling feet. The flames licking around him subsided, smoke drifting away from him lightly. Sabo exhaled with relief while Law bent, breathing heavily in an effort to compose himself.

"I'm okay up here!" Sanji assured them both, lightly kicking his feet. "This kinda feels like a hug, anyway."

Both men looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

After composing himself, Law struggled to stand. Sabo looked at him skeptically while Sanji noticed that one of his boots were slipping from his foot. He mused out loud that he still had some growing to do.

Leaning against the stand, Law caught his breath. He looked to the men, both of whom looked shocked and confused; unsure if they were in danger. Swallowing lightly, Law asked, "Do you know exactly how to get there? To that island?"

"We have a map," one said lightly. "Shanks drew us a map before he left."

"Shanks?" Sabo repeated with awe.

"Where is it?" Law asked.

The pair recognized their advantage. Glancing at each other, they then felt brave enough to say, "Let us go, first."

"Yeah, sure. Sabo. Open that door."

" _Intact_ , dick head!"

Sanji laughed. "My boot!"

It hit the floor, allowing his foot to stretch.

Law glared at him then looked to the men once more. He seemed to struggle with a more composed expression - his age made it difficult to convey confidence, considering how the distracting the kids were. "I don't trust you. These could have been lies you've caught me with. How can I believe you?"

"My boot! Hello? Sabo!"

"Shhh, Sanji! Something is happening!"

"You tell me 'shh' _one more time_...!"

"Let one of us go," one man said hurriedly, looking at his friend with uncertainty, but his friend gave him his blessing. "Leave my arm here. Let one of those kids go with me. I'll find it, bring it back."

"My foot!" Sanji insisted, wiggling his toes. He suddenly sniffled and his voice broke as he said, "My foot is cold and nobody cares..."

Sabo looked up at him with amusement as Law struggled to ignore the kid. Looking at Law, Sabo said, "Me and Ace can do it, Law. It's no problem!"

"Yeah, but what am I going to do with that idiot? I can't be alone with him!"

"Luffy will watch him!"

"I just want my boot...I just want everyone to stop picking on me all the time," Sanji started to cry. With irritation, Law released him. He landed quite easily on his feet, snatching up his boot. "Hah! You fools! I'm going swimming!"

Once he had it on, he tore out of the garage, the other two looking after him in bewilderment. Unable to figure Sanji out, they looked at each other.

Law then cleared his throat, fumbling. "Okay, do it. But bring him back here with that map."

"We'll be back before night fall!" Sabo assured him.

"You've got a deal," Law then decided as he turned his attention towards the men. "But your friend remains here in that state."

He then looked at the arm with consideration. He picked up his scalpel once again. "And I'll try and fix this."

Wearing a puzzled expression, the man glanced at his friend but followed Sabo out.

: :

"You kids live here on your own?" the man left behind asked Law. The teen was intensely focused on the arm he'd cut open and scraped at with his limited tools, and while he stood far from the cage, the man could see that the limb was completely cut open and pulled apart. Almost as if he were working on a toy rather than an arm.

Law ignored him while he glanced at the open book. The diagrams printed there were descriptive but having the actual limb in front of him was a different opportunity to work on. He was grateful for the moment - it allowed him to ignore the kid sitting at his feet, separating herbs and roots with the use of his own book next to him.

The man noticed the clinginess of the younger boy - he was physically expressive and seemingly attention starved. Almost with the frustrating demands of a younger brother needing the approval of his cherished older sibling after a long absence. Demanding hugs and head rubs while complaining about the ache in his lower back.

The older kid, at first, looked at him with a sort of uncomfortable hunger traditional of familiar lovers. The age difference was enough to make the man's stomach twist. But the older boy kept his hands to himself and the man figured he shouldn't be so disgusted. It was none of his business.

When he didn't get an answer, he settled in the corner of his space and fell into heavy silence, lost in his own discomfort and fear.

The boy sitting on the floor looked over at him, pulling leaves from the stem. "You don't talk a lot," he said. "Usually men are hollering up a shit storm of noise. Begging for their life."

The man frowned at him. "No point in begging for anything," he muttered. "If you're in a cage, you're going nowhere."

"So, you just give up?"

"I've been living in cages most of my life. Every time I leave one, I find myself back in one."

"So...you just give up?"

"Kid, when my friend comes back, you think we're just going to be allowed to walk away?"

"No," Sanji answered, lowering his herbs to his mat. "Everyone that gets themselves trapped in there don't get out. On a positive note, it doesn't hurt."

The man snorted, Sanji watching him closely. When it seemed the man was finished talking, Sanji looked back at his herbs. Law was still working on the arm, so intensely focused that it was apparent he was ignoring all else. Sanji left his herbs and stood up, brushing himself off. He then turned and pushed up against Law, nuzzling his face against the older boy's stomach.

Every part of him strummed for physical affection, looking for something that would fulfill this constant want for acknowledgement. His skin ached for touch, his insides burned with a weird sort of emptiness that felt similar to hunger but he wasn't hungry; all he could think about was being hugged by his own mate because he couldn't imagine the affection given by anyone else.

His mood swung quickly, uncontrollably as he sought Law's attention. He only wanted that perfect spot on Law's lap where he could press his head onto his chest and listen to his heart, breath and insides gurgle noisily against his ear. He wanted Law to hold him but the older teen would only do it when Sanji wasn't experiencing his heat but this was when Sanji needed those hugs the most. He felt starved for it, so much that it felt like he lost who he was when searching for attention. His heat felt like a chaotic fever that compelled him to seek Law's attention like Sanji could have no one else's. All he could think about was being in the older boy's presence and not much else.

He knew what it was. Law had told him everything and showed him the books, so Sanji knew it was omega yearning for their alpha mate. This was the period when they both became "rapey"; Sanji remembered that term because Doffy had said it in such a way that Sanji had thought it meant having fun rather than a term for sexual violation. Doffy had told Sanji that when the boy came into his maturation, he'd be showing Law a good time all the time with his rapey hugs. Sanji wasn't sure at that time what it meant but now that he knew, it was no wonder Law had reacted as he did upon hearing that.

Law's own heat in reaction to Sanji's included an immense surge of control over his abilities now that his omega was at his most vulnerable so Law took advantage of it by exploring his limits. He fought Sanji's innocent demands for hugs because he felt like he couldn't control himself but at the same time he couldn't get away from Sanji because he was compelled to be in his presence as well.

Both of them were miserable yet determined to override the expectations others had of them. Both were equally stubborn and bullish in their pride and both could agree that they weren't going to fall into the roles that were forced upon them. But they were still young and their hormones weren't entirely in their control, yet. They were still children.

Law pushed him away with an elbow and Sanji noisily protested the rejection. "Stop!" Law hissed at him. "Leave me the fuck alone!"

"Just _one_! Just one, please?"

"No!" Gritting his teeth, Law said with exasperation, "I can't. You know why I can't. I'm sorry."

"I just want you to hug me once! Just one, just a quick squeeze!"

Reluctantly, Law set aside his tools. He crouched a little and gave Sanji a one armed squeeze that coaxed out a grunt from the boy as he squeezed him back. It was satisfying for that moment and gave Sanji so much joy that he sighed cheerfully then gave the older boy a noisy kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you! You big child, that's all I wanted!" Sanji said with a scoff before gathering his things and clumsily leaving the garage with them. Law watched him go with exasperation but was relieved with the space.

The ghostly impression of the boy's warmth and weight in his grasp left him yearning for more. He gripped the stand with both hands and fought the urge in his body that made thinking difficult. He hated the way he felt, cursing Doflamingo repeatedly with a surge of self-hatred. Once he could start thinking about his earlier task, Law wiped his face with one arm and looked down at his project. He returned to stitching.

"I removed the infection and reattached his tendons," he reported gravely, making careful stitches. The man in the cage looked confused.

" _How_?"

"It only matters if it works," Law said with a heavy sigh, removing his mask. "I'm sure it will."

At the sounds of excited voices outside, he gave a suffering sigh, bracing against the stand. The quartet walked in with a frazzled prisoner, Sabo with map in hand and Ace and Luffy fighting over packaged meat. Sanji was with them, trying to look at the map while Sabo held it out of his reach.

Law turned to look at them, Sabo handing him the map. It was so poorly done that he looked from it to the man with absolute displeasure.

"It got wet," the man mumbled.

"We _accidentally_ fell into the river," Ace told Law. "Use your mega brain to fix it."

"I can't fix maps!" Law snapped at him, slapping it onto the stand. Looking to the men in the cage as the kids began talking a mile a minute with excuses and explanations, he ordered, "You'll stay there tonight. If I don't locate an appropriate copy of this map, it'll be Ace's fault for your deaths."

" _Why me_?" Ace protested. " _I_ wasn't the one to remove his damn arm, you dictator!"

"It's your responsibility to make absolute sure we aren't being played for fools!"

" _Luffy_ was the one who was drowning!"

Luffy held a dirty hand up sheepishly. "I almost died but mister here pulled me out. He's a good guy."

Sanji watched the man follow Law's order with a puzzled expression at his friend; Sabo ushered him into the cage while Law snapped at the arguing boys. Wandering over, Sanji gave the pair a look of doubt, clinging to the cage with both hands.

"You're not even going to put up a fight?" he asked low, Sabo watching skeptically.

"I don't know what's going on here, but one kid is with some weird flashy power and there's three others that can take down a tiger with their bare hands," he responded flatly, taking a heavy seat on the floor. "Far as I'm concerned, I've got no chance."

"That's a defeatist attitude."

"And you're like, twelve. I know my place, kid."

" _And a half_ ," Sanji muttered, giving them both scoffs. "Any man that gives up that quick don't deserve to live."

He was treated to twin shrugs and heavy expressions while Sabo patted Sanji's shoulder. The fourteen year old ushered him away as Ace stormed off and Luffy gave a frustrated wail.

"Everyone picks on me because I'm the youngest!" Luffy cried. Then he wore a determined expression. "I'll show you all – I'll be the strongest one out of all of you and kick all your damn asses for all the years of you picking on me."

"Shut up," Law snapped at him. "Even if you do grow up to be strong, I know all your weak points. I'll make you sorry for making this vow in the first place."

Thinking about it, Luffy then glowered at him. "I'm going to fart on you in your sleep!"

Giving them a sympathetic look, Sabo locked the door behind him with a secure gesture. "Don't worry," he whispered to the pair as Law lectured Luffy and then fought his way out of Sanji's sudden grasp and wail of attention, "if he wanted to kill you he would've done it already."

At the library, while Ace and Luffy fought each other over scraps and Sabo napped at the table, Sanji watched Law flip through a large book of maps, looking for similarities in those pages with what was left of the one he'd taken from the men.

"Are we still going to go there, Law?" he asked skeptically.

"If it's a real place..." Law trailed off, looking at the faded, crease worn paper on the table. He reached over to cram a piece of fire roasted fish into his mouth, spitting out the bones when he found them. "I measured the age of their bodies when I assimilated them. They're in their twenties but due to hard years in labor, they're much older. Shanks must have run into them at some point when they were younger...maybe around the same time as us."

"Risking it at this point? I don't know if that's wise," Sanji murmured with uncertainty. "People will know what we are right away…"

"If we plan correctly, depending on the distance, we can set sail and be safe about it with just us on board. When we get there, your heat will be over with and we can travel safer up into it."

"Can I sit on your lap?"

" _Fuck_ no."

Sanji sighed noisily, shifting about on his seat with unease. "Are you going to feed them at least?"

"No. I haven't decided what to do with them."

"We should because they looked very hungry."

"I'll do it!" Luffy volunteered, looking hopeful as Ace ate the spoils of their argument.

Law gave them all impatient looks then folded his hands atop of the open book. "If this map is true, then I intend on going there. With or without you. It's up to you guys if you want to tag along - you're at an age where you'll be fine if we move on."

Sabo looked at the others while Ace scowled at Law. "So you'll just abandon us?"

"My aim was always to find a proper education, and I've learned all I could from this place. I've never been secretive about the medicine we both require."

"Yeah, really you only just told us about it when Sanji here got all crazy..."

"It's not crazy!" Sanji snapped at him. "It's biology!"

"So different from what I just said!" Ace snapped back sarcastically.

"You guys give me a constant headache," Law complained, rubbing at his temples. "Now I know what Cora was feeling back then…"

"I miss them," Sanji said with a sigh. "You think we'll ever learn what happened to them? I miss Brook."

"I don't know…"

"Can I feed those guys?"

"No. God – all of you, _shut up_!" Law then snapped, loud enough to be heard. All the boys ceased talking at once, then glowered over at him. Basking in the rare silence, Law collected his thoughts. He indicated the map at his left. "Thoughts on this? Will you be willing to risk exploring this matter, or would you want to say here?"

"Stay."

"Go."

" _Stay_."

" _Go_."

"STAY!"

Law looked at them impatiently as they launched into their reasons why. Seeing that he wasn't going to get any distinct answer, he folded his hands atop of the table and jiggled his leg. He looked over at Sanji, who was whining to Sabo about his boots while Ace and Luffy slugged out their decisions between each other. Luffy wailed, Ace shouted and Sabo reacted with a roar towards both of them as Sanji looked over at Law.

"They didn't even know what those terms were, Law," he reminded him. "Cora once said we're very rare. Maybe people out there don't know what value we are, and we might be safe."

"We have to risk it," Law muttered. "Because I can't keep doing this. If those two are slaves, I can use them."

"I don't think so. I still remember all those things Doffy said about people that never ran into people like us, and they get all…" Sanji swallowed uncomfortably. "I am not cattle."

Law gave him a sympathetic look, reaching over and clasping his nervous hands with just one of his. "You'll be fine. I'll be with you. Nothing will happen to you."

"You better not be lying. I'm not weak, but I'm stupid like this and I don't know what I'm doing."

"That's what makes this important." Law then hit the table to catch the others' attention, and they looked at him sullenly once more. Luffy sniffled noisily, Sanji throwing a napkin in his direction. "We're going. All of us. So pack whatever's important."

"Didja find a good map?" Ace asked him skeptically. "And don't think you can boss me around, man."

Law pierced him with a glare. "You're going. Because you need some education."

" _I don't want to_!"

"…There will be girls there. Your age, older – you can't just hang around boys forever. Unless you're gay."

"I'm NOT! _Whatever_ , fine!"

Sabo's forehead crinkled with consideration. "Why is that a bad thing, Law?"

"It's not," Law corrected himself hastily, "but Ace is the type of idiot that needs a little motivation."

"You can't just show yourself off to boys for the rest of your life, Ace," Sanji told the boy, who glowered at him. "Women want to appreciate the view, too."

"Well," Ace said reluctantly, patting his muscled stomach, "if it's for the girls…"

"You're so easy," Sabo chuckled.

"I don't _wanna_ meet girls!" Luffy cried, tears creating clear trails down his cheeks. "I don't _wanna_ sit in school! It's so _boring_! I hate it!"

"You've never been to school!" Sabo admonished him. "You can't knock it until you try it!"

"Luffy, there will be plenty of kids to fight with," Sanji suggested lightly. "Think of all the competition you'll run into. Then you can train and fight them in order to power up and kick Ace's ass someday."

Luffy looked cheered, considering that possibility while Ace shot Sanji a disgusted look.

"He ain't ever," Ace warned Sanji, who shrugged a shoulder.

"You never know."

"If you're all done eating, clean this shit up and go do your little exercises. I made our decision, and we're going to do it," Law said with finality, flipping through the book once more. "I'm tired of hanging with you morons. I want adult company. People with brains similar to mine."

At the blast of insults and exclamations, he covered his ears. Sanji rolled his eyes and looked exasperated, faintly wishing for mature company as well.

That night, once they were all settled in bed and Law was sure the library was secure, he slipped into the bed he shared with the two youngest boys. Ace and Sabo were sleeping in hammocks nearby, and he had to shove Luffy near the edge of the bed in order to take the middle space. It was better this way, he'd thought a while back. Sleeping with both kids as to not fall into any ill temptation with his mate. The frightful decision that he could just give into instinct was a conscious fight during this time, but it eased when they were tired.

All of them had a routine before bed – a series of exercises with body weight that gave them their strength and flexibility and tired them out after a long day on the outside. A long time ago, he never thought he'd have muscle but it was there. He patted his aching stomach with some pride, then reached over and pulled Sanji close to him, snuggling up against the boy's back like a pillow. Sanji grunted in his sleep but relaxed in his grasp and Law thought about the two men trapped in the cage in the garage across town.

The abandoned town was full of ghosts and the dead – haunted by spectres that popped up occasionally and whispered warnings that Perona must have heard long ago. Surprising, but useful – the boys used this land of the dead freely, growing up without much fear as they had in the past. Whoever these former souls were, they were attuned to the living with the same sort of response villagers had with seeing them years ago. Just as surprised to see them as the living. They never had answers to the trio's disappearance years ago, which bothered Law into thinking that perhaps the three had just abandoned them.

Which didn't make any sense. But he was long since independent – they didn't need anybody, now. They were their own strength and decisions. Funny how life had turned out so opposite of which Law had thought he'd have living in Spider Miles.

As he listened to the boys sleep around him, Law expanded his Room one more time. Stretching it as far as he could go and searching for foreign bodies.

He felt the two men sleeping calmly in their cage. It bothered him that they were so willing to give up without a fight. Accepting their fate like it was nothing. He'd attached the man's arm back onto him, and was eager to see the results tomorrow morning. Sensing nothing out of the ordinary, Law rested his head atop of Sanji's back and fell asleep peaceably.


	10. Chapter 10

**: : Ten**

* * *

The next morning, the garage doors were yanked open and Law marched in with an eager expression that he tried to hide. Both men were roused from their sleep sluggishly as Sanji and Luffy followed, talking amongst each other noisily while the blonde carried food leftover from breakfast.

"Move your arm," Law ordered as he paused outside the cage, crossing his arms tightly. He had his sword strapped to his back, the red tethers dangling against his shoulder. He was vibrating with curiosity as the man looked at his repaired limb. It was incredibly sore, the bandages clean, the bruising fading slightly. "Does it feel any different?"

"It's real tight, but it doesn't feel infected…"

"Mobility should be at optimum level within a few more hours," Law decided, gesturing at him hurriedly to remove the bandages. Then he formed his Room and took the arm himself, much to the surprise of the man as a pebble dropped against him. Unwrapping it, Law examined for himself the stitches he'd inserted the day before, noting that the skin looked tender and swollen. Assimilating into the limb, he felt for himself for any lingering damages but it felt much different from the day before. He felt positive that he'd accomplished this, holding the arm up to catch more illumination from the lights above.

Sanji used the opportunity to open and unlock the cage, distributing breakfast to the men that looked at it hungrily. Luffy looked disappointed, hanging against the metal with a mournful sigh.

"I made this!" Sanji announced brightly. Both men noticed he didn't smell as strongly as he did yesterday; whatever it was had subsided to a hint as he moved about. The boy also didn't seem as bright as he was the day previous, either – he was just another boy dressed in rough clothing, but this time, his shirt was tucked in neatly and he moved about with a childish swagger like the others. Both of them were puzzled by the subtle differences. "You're going to feel so much better after you eat it."

Irritated, Law exchanged him with another pebble and slammed the cage shut, locking it as Sanji gave him an exasperated look. "Luffy, fetch more rocks," Law ordered of the other kid, who dragged his feet to obey. After reattaching the arm, Law looked at the pair that ate with relish. "You were slaves?"

"Unfortunately."

"For whom?"

Reluctant to speak, the pair continued eating, glancing at each other with sullen action. Law lifted an eyebrow as Sanji stood close against his side, seeking his warmth with a nudge of his shoulder; simply crowding his space. Law gently nudged him away.

"I understand if you don't answer," Law then threatened low, "but understand that it'll mean nothing to me if I decide to further my research on the pair of you."

"Doesn't make sense of you to fix his arm," the other retorted, his speech slightly heavy.

"I did it because I wanted to see if I could. It didn't mean anything else." Law found himself growing irritated as Sanji pressed himself more firmly against him. He didn't smell as strongly as he did yesterday, and Law had sensed his own needs lightening up so he didn't have the impatience to deal with the action as strongly as he had been. But he did lean down to look at his sullen expression. "Go finish copying that map and bring it here."

Ignoring the puzzled eyes of the men watching, Sanji whispered, "Neither of them are wearing colors…"

"Some people in this world can be very good actors if they're paid enough."

Assuaged by that answer, Sanji then left the garage. Law looked back at them, clearing his throat.

"Even if I don't get any answers," he continued, "it'll make sense that I leave a message behind for anybody following up after you."

"You're kids," one said bitterly, "so it makes sense to you that everyone is an enemy. But not everyone is your enemy."

"You don't know my life," Law warned him. "Like you, I've been titled with a responsibility I never wanted at the wishes of a controlling man, and therefore, need to carry a responsibility for the rest of my life because my considerations weren't given a thought. As a result, I trust no one. If I have to make a reputation of myself to assert myself, then I will. Through any means necessary. I have no problem continuing with you two. Your lives are as invaluable to me as your words."

"Yet you want to know our past…"

"Only to know the names of those that might be associated with mine. It's been awhile since I had the chance to converse with an adult," Law added. "I have no problem rendering you to the level of the children here with what I plan on doing to you. I've researched the skeletal grounds of a human body and began exploring the muscle system and now I'm strongly interested in the nervous system. Do you know what that is?"

Both faces looked up at him blankly.

"What form of education have you had?" Law then asked with some worry.

After a long silence, the man answered low, "Not much. We weren't kidding when we told you we were slaves for a long time."

"So you were used for muscle?"

"Farm lands," he answered, rubbing at his reattached arm. "Mainly farming and irrigation systems. With others our age – the last time we saw kids was when we'd seen our reflections in the water. The colony was losing their people due to age and common illnesses. It was starting to collapse. Once the security became lax, we took advantage and left. It was located in the west."

"Do you know Doflamingo Donquxiote?"

At the puzzled expressions and shake of heads, Law relaxed slightly. "Vinsmoke?"

At the repeat of shaking heads, Law found it bewildering that those names weren't familiar. Here, they were the entire world. It was apparent that the world was big enough where such names weren't that known.

… _accents of Swallow Island_ , a voice whispered at his ear, startling him. The man was close and yet not – an invisible specter that made itself known by revealing itself intelligently. He struggled to hide his surprise then asked, "You're from Swallow Island?"

Both men looked startled, then clamped up. Unsure of where that particular place was, Law realized he'd have to perform the research himself. Before that thought could be completed, a set of nearby locker doors banged noisily, startling all of them. After three years of living in this land of the dead, Law pushed away his startled reaction and ventured towards the lockers, yanking them open to find rolled up maps of the country sides. He had forgotten they were there. He pulled them out and unrolled them atop of a nearby table. It was marked with old territory lines with the warlord's names on them. Some of them were crossed out and remarked with newer names, along with changing territory lines. He noticed that Doflamingo's and Vinsmokes' were untouched.

Locating the island, which was situated off the main land in a relatively small body of water, he was relieved that it was a considerable distance away from the world he'd come from.

"Whose territory does it belong to?" he asked curiously, wondering who had updated the map and where they were.

After some consideration, one man answered slowly, "We belonged to a man named Enel. He had powers, too, actually."

Law had never heard of that name. "Was he in the company of another?"

"We actually never saw him personally. I wouldn't know who he was if I'd passed him on the street. We just…saw him doing whatever he does from a distance, threatening the group actively – dictator stuff."

After some consideration, Law decided that they were safe. If they were escaped slaves on the run, without any knowledge of Doflamingo or Vinsmoke, then they were safe.

… _on edge_ …that voice warned him lightly. Law took it as caution, but considering that these men knew Shanks and knew the route to the 'land of opportunity', then he had to risk it. The suppressants were important – he felt like he was losing confidence in himself the longer they lived out the reach of moral standings. Sanji would get older and considering the kid's own powers of verbal battery, Law felt like he would grow overconfident in his burgeoning abilities and make decisions that could hurt them both. He needed more knowledge and he needed a leash of his own.

Once again, he felt the hot sliver of fear stake through him – losing sight of himself the stronger his instincts grew.

He exhaled lightly.

Then it occurred to him that neither man was interested in asking him any questions. They were just taking it as it came. That made him cautious as well – what if they already knew enough? This entire thing could be a trap.

Sanji barged in once again, carrying the book under one arm. "It's done! Praise me!"

"Don't command me of anything, shithead," Law muttered, taking the book from him and finding the map. Sure enough, Sanji had completed the markings that they'd confirmed from the map the men had onto this one. He flipped it over and showed it to the pair.

"Is this correct?"

At their reluctant nods, Law took it as that and looked over the map once more. It would consist of at least a month's walk to the shore. From there, it wasn't guaranteed that they could find a way to sea. But he'd worry about that once they got there. With how much Shanks traveled, surely there was a place available for them to settle before finding entry.

"Are we really going?" Sanji asked him tentatively, scratching at his head.

Looking over the book once more, Law nodded. "Get those kids. We need to plan."

: :

Law learned that the pair's names were Penguin and Shachi. Penguin did most of the speaking because Shachi had some sort of head injury that hindered his speech and wasn't 'all there'. Penguin himself seemed limited, but both of them were heavy expressions of tension and reluctance, obeying whatever order was given to them. Law had some sympathy for both of them, doubting himself despite his earlier suspicions.

Sanji kept staring at them, and his expression kept wavering. Law warned him quietly, "Do not trust them to be good people."

Sanji nodded grimly as they collected within the main living area. The trio were already on edge with each other, fighting about a lost opportunity against a monster that had wandered into the territory. Luffy was already moody and frustrated with his older brothers, arguing and nearly crying every time Ace pushed at him. Sabo was as tense as Law was, but he kept his mouth shut when it came to questioning the older boy. He'd given up being the referee as the two men stood awkwardly to themselves near the staircase, looking uncomfortable as they took in the homey mess.

Luffy was already searching for something amongst the smaller bookshelves, sniffling as Ace lounged atop of one of the larger chairs, and Sabo delicately shifted aside Brook's instruments – of which were in the same place he'd left him, the kids positive about his return. Law set his sword down and slumped down into one of the cozier chairs, thinking about their future travel. Seizing the opportunity, Sanji climbed up onto his lap and made himself comfortable while Law tensed. But the kid splayed over him with his head hanging over the armrest and feet kicking over the other, snapping noisily on gum they'd made out of sap. His hands were occupied with a teen romance book he'd found on the third floor, flipping through the pages slowly as he mouthed words to himself. Law allowed him to stay because his instincts were quieting – it felt like a breath of relief to acknowledge it. Soon the kid would be antagonizing him as he usually did and throwing his 'manly' speeches around like the other brats. Admittedly, Law wasn't looking forward to that.

"We'll pack light," Law mused aloud, mainly to himself while he watched Luffy search the shelves with building panic. Sabo watched him with concern while Ace yawned noisily, flexing what muscles were visible and watching them with pride. "Just take what's important. We can find food on the way. No point taking anything but snacks that'll last us for however long we can hide them. We've got batteries – we'll use the motorcycles until they give out."

Penguin looked over at him with an uncertain expression as he clasped his hands in front of him and Shachi looked uncomfortable at the rather unusual display of one kid seeking affection from an older kid. It looked like both of them wanted to say something but couldn't bring themselves to do so. Law decided he wouldn't give them any explanation, but he would have to condition Sanji not to do this while they were on the road.

"So, you intend on traveling out in the open knowing that you'll be targeted by those interested on stealing kids for sale?" Penguin asked low. His sun worn face, almost hidden by the brim of his battered hat, showed displeasure. "Why not just travel secretly? Stow them in boxes, take a coach? Smuggling kids are easy - we know all the tricks, we can give you some tips."

Law stared at him with a flat expression. At that moment, Luffy threw his head back with a scream that caused Ace, Sabo and Sanji to clamp their hands over their ears. Books were sent flying as the younger boy turned and shook an empty box with accusatory gesture at Ace.

" _I know you did it_ , Ace! I _know_ you found my secret stashing spot!"

"I didn't find anything!" Ace bellowed over another one of his indignant screams, a tantrum barely contained as Luffy opened the box to shake it again. He swept books off shelves with an angry sweep of his arm.

" _Stop it_!" Sabo roared. "You're making a goddamn mess!"

"It was _right here_!" Luffy screamed, bashing the empty box repeatedly against one of the tables, breaking it. It was an item Brook had showed them that had once been used to display books. The kids had claimed their own empty books and 'hidden' them amongst shelves with whatever treasures they deemed valuable. " _It was right here_ and you found it! _You took it_! You knew it was mine!"

"I don't even know what was there!" Ace protested, before sucking in breath and out bellowing him. " _But if I took anything, I would've told the whole shitty world about it_!"

Sanji slammed his book against the floor and rolled off Law's lap. "Enough with your shit! I'm going to rip your vocal cords out from your asses!"

"STAY OUT OF IT!"

"This needless screaming needs to stop! People will hear us!" Sabo shouted furiously. "Can't either of you speak at a damn whisper? We've got guests!"

"Oh, never mind Ace, wrong box," Luffy then said cheerily, picking up a different box and rattling it. He opened it, finding whatever it was that was incredibly important to him. Then realized everyone's attention was on him, so he froze. Ace and Sabo looked at it, then each other before leaping at the boy. Luffy screamed again, kicking and punching as they slammed onto the floor, fighting for the box. Sanji grabbed his hair with frustration and joined the fight.

"Secrecy is something we can't do," Law told Penguin flatly. "Even if our lives fucking depended on it."

He tilted his head to avoid a thrown book, shoving it off his chair moments later.

"Out in the open, luck or not." Law watched the kids knock things over and upset tables with their fight. A heavy chair was lifted and thrown and Luffy was scrambling up the fireplace wall with his fingertips and the tips of his shoes as the other three continued combat without him. "We're not weaklings. No one can do anything to us without us fighting back. With my abilities, they won't have a chance."

Giving him a skeptic look, Penguin crossed his arms.

"You'll catch the attention of anybody looking for you," he muttered. "Soon, they'll all be after you. Kids are valuable. Lotta money for them."

Law smirked. "Let them try."

"And us? We belong to you, now?"

"We're going in the same direction," Law said, sitting up to fold his hands and rest his elbows on his knees.

Penguin and Shachi looked extremely puzzled with the lack of a clear answer. Law wasn't even sure what to say, himself. He was only certain that they were slaves without much freedom and not men to trust completely. But he had sympathy and he acknowledged that he did.

After a few moments, he said, "We're the same, looking for the same thing for different reasons. But let it be known now that I will be relying on you for answers and you'll be relying on me for protection. As such, you have freedom to participate however you want, but don't think for a second you can tell me what to do. Is this understood?"

"We've been independent and reliant entirely on ourselves these past few years, without adult interaction," Law then added, rising from his seat. "None of us will take direction that well. Every single kid here will let you know it."

He grabbed Ace by the back of his shorts and administered a wedgie so deep that the boy's voice changed as his feet left the ground. Sabo attempted to run but Law tripped him and stood on his back with one foot and all his weight. He used his other foot to kick Sanji into the fireplace, and dropped Ace to the floor as the boys' voices changed their tune. Luffy clung to the fireplace, watching warily while holding tight onto the bricks.

Law stepped off Sabo and took his seat once more, adjusting his hat. Luffy fell from the fireplace as Ace complained low while adjusting his underwear and Sabo cracked his back as he slowly sat up. Sanji looked murderous, covered in warm ash.

"Pack your bags, morons," Law told them. "Then go outside and pack them onto the second motorcycle. If any of them falls off that doesn't belong to you, you're responsible for taking care of that person for the remainder of this trip. One bag each of underwear, toothbrushes, your weapon, and whatever you find reasonably valuable. Then pack that bigger bag with food – we run out, we starve. Prepare your travel clothes for tomorrow. Take a bath tonight. Anyone that smells like unwashed ass and pits will get the very back seat."

All of them complained noisily, but they set off on the order. Once the excitement of travel kicked in, so did their energy. The kids all raced off to find their valuables and Law found the peace and quiet immensely satisfying. He wilted in his seat, slithering to slump so low that his back was against the seat and his head against the back of it.

"And your things? Actually," he added, gripping the arm rests with a bend of his arms, "I don't care if you're along for the trip. We have the important thing in hand. If you feel it's appropriate, you may set out to get your things on your own. But these doors lock promptly at eight pm. If you aren't back by then, fend for yourselves or continue on your way, forgetting you ran into us."

He then gestured at them to leave, and the pair looked at each other with bewilderment. But they left the room with an uncertain gait, leaving Law in total silence. He soaked it up, positive he wouldn't _hear_ this wonderful sound again.

: :

He was actually surprised when they returned to the library just as Sabo was prepared to close and lock the doors. Sanji had created a feast of carb heavy foods for dinner, so the table was covered in every dish and pot they had used throughout the years. The motorcycles were packed and ready and their travel food already waiting for them in the icebox they'd all helped make a couple of years ago. The library was then cleaned as best as they could do, in case Brook and Perona returned. They were leaving with the basics on their back and not thinking of the consequences down the road – but Law was confident they'd be fine.

He sat at the head of the table with the book of maps as Sabo instructed the pair to take to empty spots, and Sanji served them instantly. Ace and Luffy were fighting over one of the meat dishes but there was still plenty left over, and Law glanced over to see both men lighting up at the fare. The group of kids had survived throughout the years hunting their own food and gathering what grew in the wild while stealing from the closest villages. Sanji had taken an interest in cooking and had grown quite good at handling meal times on his own – the library had given him enough cookbooks to use as a guide.

This was why Law felt confident in their survival skills. If they could thrive for three years without an adult's guidance then they would be fine. All of them were conditioned and strong from outdoors living and their constant fights; they used makeshift weapons and trained each other to win. They weren't afraid of getting hit and they weren't afraid to make risky decisions – combined with his abilities, Law was certain that they'd be absolutely fine.

Below the noise of the chatty fights and occasional praise over food, Sanji pulled his chair closer to Law's side. He was wearing a pouty expression that assured Law he was steadily pulling further away from his heat, and was only obeying that irritating need to be close. Since he understood that frustrating pull, he allowed Sanji to crowd him. The show of affection would soon ease into reluctant expressions Sanji often saved out of sight from the others; denying he even did them in the first place.

"I don't want to go," he told Law low.

Law looked at him with a frown. "Why? You know how important this is to me."

"Ever since we left Spider Miles," Sanji said slowly, "we've run into bad situations. I don't want to do that. People die."

"Not this time," Law assured him confidently. "Because we don't have to rely on people, anymore. We rely on us."

"People will die because they're trying to get us. People will die because they see kids and think they have to stand in the way just so we could grow up. I don't want to. Living here has been fine."

"You just matured into your heats. Later, you're going to want more than just…hugs." Law lowered his voice. "And I'm not comfortable with that. These suppressants will help us both, and there will be no more argument about it."

Considering the examples he'd read, Sanji picked at the table with one clean fingernail. "What if it takes too long to get there? And it happens? And other people notice?"

"It's just a risk we'll have to take. We need to go, we can't just stay here and expect it to come to us."

"I don't want people looking at us like we're cattle, again. Now that I understand why, I don't want to…"

"This is why it's necessary. Don't you see? It's for your own good, too."

"What if we find other kids and they don't know what we are and then they see and they start making fun of us?"

Law shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He did mind the thought of being targeted for who and what he was – but at his age, he could fight back. And he was a favorable sub gender; prized for his abilities, strive for perfection and stubborn will to rise to the top. His aggression would grow stronger with the confidence he gained and he'd be a force to be reckoned with. This was how other alphas were treated in Spider Miles – revered for what they were. Looking back on those memories, Law had realized Doflamingo was grooming him to be one of his top aides. He had suspicion that someone smart enough could force him into another way of thinking independent of what he himself thought – but he also had hope that the suppressants would help him live a somewhat 'normal' life. Further his education and allow him to live peacefully without fanning the flames of his sub gender.

His only thoughts towards Sanji's fate was that he'd be calm enough to grow into his own without causing anymore trouble towards Law. Law had planned on Sanji getting an education himself and turning into a respectful mate that he could depend on when he had to and not much else. He only casually reassured the kid from time to time when he grew insecure, but he wasn't Corazon or Brook with the right words.

Sanji was still just a kid and Law was a growing teen headed for adulthood. His common selfishness was based only on what he thought was best for this time.

Now that Sanji brought it up, Law had to consider the kid's fears.

"You'll be fine," he decided. "Take Shanks as an example."

"Oh, so, I should abandon everyone I come into contact with in order to find my own freedom? How does that work?"

"Obviously he wasn't free if he was moving fast to return to whoever his alpha is. Was. There's still that bond. You can just grow up knowing that any problem you have you can bring to me and maybe I'll consider solving it if it isn't too much trouble."

Sanji gave him a flat stare. "Like I should really count on you to fix everything when I can do it myself."

"Then what do you want me to say? You're just a kid, and you'll still be a kid as we grow up. Remember that time when you asked me when you'll get the chance to make a decision for both of us? It still applies in this matter."

" _Ugh_ , I _hate_ you…"

"Feeling's mutual, shit head."

" _Ugh_ , I hate your superiority complex…"

"I have one because I _am_ the superior person here."

" _Ugh_ , I hope you die!"

"Keep saying that and maybe, just maybe, if I'm in the right mood, I will!"

Sanji glowered at the table while Law flicked that burden off his shoulder. It didn't bother him when Sanji said these things because kids said things impulsively and Law didn't have any doubts to the weight of them.

"I'm not a slave," Sanji then added, glaring at him. "And I'm not your slave."

"Yeah, we'll see about that. Far as I'm concerned, I have many here at the table."

" _Okay_ , mini-Doffy."

That flicked a heat of anger through Law as he glared at Sanji. Seeing that he got a response, Sanji smirked back at him. Law crammed some food into his mouth and chewed, considering his own retort. Speaking with his mouth full, he said, "You only resort to those name-calling tactics because I am right and it allowed you to win in the past, but consider other tactics, instead. Or does your bratty brain only consider small, petty things?"

"One day, you won't even realize I've outwitted you until it's too late. And I cannot _wait_ for that day."

"Yeah, I'll be waiting," Law said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"They're married," Sabo whispered to Penguin as he tried not to overhear their conversation. "So this type of thing happens a lot."

Penguin almost choked on his food as Shachi looked confused, pausing in mid-chew.

"You, as an alpha, have considerable powers already," Sanji continued, eating off Law's plate, his own plate untouched to the side, "and people think of omegas as trash, or cows. Yet they're the ones giving life when no normal woman could. When you're settled down and all mighty with whatever fantasy you have going on in your mega brain, and you want to have kids, I'll say 'no'."

"I'll never want kids. I had enough of kids as it is with you guys."

"You can't fight nature, Law. Our combined nature is to give life. You fight your nature a lot. Eventually, you'll give in. And when that day comes, I'll look you right in the eye and remove the life myself. Don't think I won't. Because I'll only do it to prove a point."

Law rolled his eyes again. "I'll never think that way."

"Which makes my determination that much more stronger."

"You wouldn't do it, anyway. You're too soft. You'll give up that fantasy right away."

" _Watch_. Or," Sanji added, "if I feel my alpha isn't receptive, I'll take another's child."

Law slammed his utensil down onto the table, causing others to look at him with startled expressions. Ace and Luffy stopped fighting to look, Sabo wearing a nervous expression while the two men froze. Sanji looked satisfied, chewing delicately on his next bite.

"That's impossible," Law then told Sanji tightly as the others resumed their earlier actions. "It's biologically impossible and you know it."

"And yet the concept pissed you off. So stop saying shit like I don't matter because it does and you can't escape it."

"Then I'll have to kill you myself."

"In nature, animals eat their young if they aren't considered survival material and we seen it happen. With you lacking in basic human affection, I might think that no child of ours should be the same."

"I can't take the threats of a twelve year old seriously, so this is just shit out of your ass, Sanji."

"And yet you're pissed, so I _win_."

"You didn't _win_ at anything! You said some stupid shit that I don't agree with and it only pisses me off because it fucks with my stupid nature!"

"That's because you're a stupid person who doesn't take into consideration other people's feelings! So when it hits you in the ass like a surprise spank, don't be so surprised when it blows up in your stupid face." Shifting in his seat to sit on one leg, Sanji drew in close to say low, "I might be just some stupid kid, Law, but I'm your lifemate with plenty of opportunity to grow into someone just as superior as you. Bein' a little nice to me might make things a little easier."

With a smug expression, Sanji then left his chair, taking his untouched plate with him. Law glowered after him, sizzling with rising anger and incredulity that this kid continued to antagonize him, and he let it happen.

"I _am_ nice to you, you idiot!" he then snapped, gripping his fork with one hand. "I don't fucking lie or beat around the bush! I'm straight forward and prove my points with absolute back up!"

"Keep tellin' yourself that to make yourself feel better, ass."

"Law," Ace interrupted, looking at him calmly with his dirty hands folded on the table, "your veins are doing that weird thing again, where they're bulging like aliens trying to get out. Cool it down. You're _embarrassing_ the rest of us."

"Yeah, chill out," Luffy seconded, his mouth full.

Law faced them with a threatening expression, Ace snickering as Luffy froze with fear.

"He only gets that mad with Sanji," Sabo whispered to the two men that sat uncomfortably, having no idea how to assess or handle the sudden tension at the table. "It happens a lot."

"Alphas sure get uppity until someone takes them down a peg," Ace snickered. "Guess it's only omegas that can do it."

" _Shut up_ , you fucking cretins!"

"See? His voice gets all high pitched and starts changing whenever he's mad."

Luffy laughed merrily. "Law's voice always changes when he's mad! Like, pick an age!"

Law formed his Room as everyone reacted with panic. Penguin and Shachi froze once more as Law replaced with was left on his plate with piles of matter that took several seconds to identify. Two boys screeched with horror and realization as they looked into their pants, seeing that their genitalia was replaced with pieces of meat and mashed potatoes. Law then prepared his steak knife and fork over the pile on his plate, and both Ace and Luffy were sobbing with apologies while Sabo sighed noisily, slumping in his seat while protectively holding his own.

" _I'm not mad_!" Law snapped at them, throwing down his utensils. But he left the table and stomped off, grabbing his sword along the way. "And stop bringing up my stupid voice! I'm seventeen, it fucking happens!"

Ace and Luffy left their chairs, intending on taking what was theirs. But Luffy ran off with Ace's, shouting that things were going to change around here. Ace ran after him with maddened shouts.

Both men stared at their plates, strongly reconsidering their decision.

: :

Sanji sat at the window seat with a glare out the window. The moon provided enough light for him to look over the abandoned town, seeing broken buildings that had tumbled down and merged into the foliage with time. He reached up for the back of his neck, searching for hair that he'd depended on for mindless fidgeting and was once again reminded that it was no longer there. He felt unsettled and frustrated because the older boy was exasperatingly stubborn and thoughtless and he was mad at himself for rising up to respond in a similar manner.

Years ago, his sister, once she found out she was an omega, had told him privately of her fears. She was scared, despondent over her future and she knew the only way she could escape was death at her own hands. If she had been paired, it wouldn't have happened. She would live for her mate, and the thought of her living a life with Law caused Sanji immense sympathy for her. He understood why she did it. He'd wondered himself if he could follow in the same manner but he absolutely couldn't do it. He had to live for and with his bond and it was frustrating having that tie. He couldn't stray from the older boy – which made him understand Law's frustration years ago when he couldn't leave Sanji alone – but he wished Law would make time in his plans to just _understand_ Sanji.

Their relationship had improved immensely but they still fought from time to time. Sanji was still just a kid and Law was growing into adulthood. The immense chasm between them was frustrating for all because Sanji wanted someone to just accept him, and Law wanted the same – but at similar ages and stages in life.

All Sanji wanted was Law's assurance; and his affection and his better moods. Sometimes, Law would compliment him and show limited affection when the others weren't around and Sanji felt overfilled with his own warmth for his mate that he didn't know what to do or what to think. He wanted that constantly but Law was fighting himself, too. They were both literally at war with their own bodies and neither of them were in the right stage to be understanding.

He wished there was someone else that could understand this matter and someone he could confide in and gain confidence from. He wished Corazon were still there, or Brook. Both men had been gentle and yet stern – good adults. What if they found another adult like them and they were taken away, too?

… _little boy, they're coming_ , someone whispered within the room, and it startled Sanji upon hearing it. Looking around, he wondered if it had come from one of the kids or the two men, but the fact that his arm broke out into goosebumps told him otherwise. He looked out the window once more, panic and fear causing him to push away from the window. The instinct to save himself was near overpowering.

Kids were valuable, but sub genders were enough to cause simple wars between territories. So his childish instinct was to instinctively think that whoever _they_ were were coming for him and Law. His next thought was that Doflamingo had finally arrived. Panic coated his veins into thinking that they'd be separated and he sold off to people who did…whatever they did to omegas. Terrible things.

He left the room in a rush, feeling the presence of others around him. Whispers that grew with startling power.

 _They're coming_!

 _Hide_!

 _They're almost here_!

He rushed around the corner and almost slammed into the older boy. Sanji wrapped his limbs around him like a starfish, shaking as Law automatically caught him.

"They're coming!" Sanji managed to get out fearfully, feeling himself tremble with building fear and dread. In his panic, he forgot his age and their fight and their building frustrations and only wanted to be protected. This was another frustrating aspect of his emerging omega instinct that left him gritting his teeth, his building male confidence slowly buried underneath all of that. "Why am I so fucking scared? I shouldn't be so scared! This is bullshit!"

"Ah, you remember your real name…"

Sanji pinched him.

In a few moments, Law expanded his Room to investigate. Sure enough, he felt the presence of at least twenty people. All of them in various stages of exhaustion and determination, their bodies conditioned to the hard terrain. They were close, nearly five miles away. Traveling along the river where Sabo had told Law where they'd trapped the pair of men. Their slow movements told Law they were moving slow because of the night and because they seemed to be investigating every step they moved over.

They were tracking the two men, he realized. Possibly bounty hunters or slave owners looking for their money's worth. Quickly, he turned and headed for the main stairway. The kids were showing the two men their nightly exercises, and Law's instinct to protect his omega already had him on edge.

"Get up," he ordered, surprising the group. "There's people coming. Plan C because there's twenty of them. Get to your stations. You two. Get over here. Lock those doors behind you, Sabo."

"YAY!" Ace cried, already on his feet while Luffy shared his excitement. "Finally, some excitement in our lives!"

"We're going to scare everyone's asses so hard, they won't ever come back here again!" Luffy bellowed, both of them headed in separate directions to leave the library.

"Why Plan C?" Sabo asked, as determined as they were.

"There's too many to kill to avoid drawing attention to us once they go missing." Law looked at the two men, who looked rather frightened. "They're looking for you, aren't they?"

"Possibly," Penguin answered tightly. "We thought we'd lost them when we traveled through the streams to prevent foot prints."

"Ordinary men with guns and weapons? No alphas?"

"No," Penguin replied, puzzled. "I'm sorry, I don't know why you keep asking that."

"Then it should be easy to get rid of them," Law figured, wincing as Sanji's arms tightened around his neck and his leg strength became apparent as they squeezed around his waist. He made to create space and gave up because he could feel the boy's fear permeating into his instinct. His own was to protect and it messed with his thoughts.

" _Damn it_ ," he whispered with frustration, managing to stalk away with the clinging boy. Penguin and Shachi looked after him with confusion, then glanced at each other with apprehension.

"Don't think this means I'm not done being mad at you!" Sanji hissed at Law, face red with rising humiliation as Law hurried to the staircase that would lead them to the basement. "But my stupid instinct - ! I can't think too good - I'm just scared!"

"And this is why we need suppressants because if we had them, you'd be running off with the others instead of feeling terrified," Law insisted quietly, managing to jerk one of the doors open. "And mine is making me do this. Hide and don't come out until I come back for you."

" _I don't wanna_ \- ! Don't leave me here by myself - !"

Law shut the door on Sanji's protest and then exhaled slowly. His entire body was tight with the rising urgency to _protect_ , and not thinking clearly about what he could use for this situation as an advantage. To possibly interrogate the men or to watch the reaction of the pair left standing on the first floor; to mock Sanji's fear and get him out with the others. But his common sense stuck to Plan C because it didn't make any sense to have the world upset with them right now. Not when they were so close to reaching this fabled land of opportunity.

: :

They kept the group from venturing any closer to the town – wearing the skins of monsters they had killed, the younger boys startled several of these men into running back where they came from. The trio lightly attacked those that stood their ground to fight, discouraging them from attacking any further. Sabo wore the skin of the minotaur they'd killed recently and advanced on them from the side, screaming wretchedly. It was enough to have a pair drop their guns and flee with cries of terror.

Guns went off, but Law was there to stop the bullets in mid-flight, thrusting them backwards. Men screamed with confusion and fright while he remained in relative secrecy, monitoring the battle from behind some trees. Convinced the area was occupied by monsters, the group had no choice but to flee.

To discourage any more advances, Law grabbed and held onto three random men – he took them apart limb by limb and left them there. Their screams and frightened cries echoed throughout the area, the boys laughing amongst themselves as they retreated back to the library. Making sure the kids were in the clear, Law waited until the night animals began to investigate the area, attracted by the helpless screams of men.

He watched as these animals took to the parts of the living men, pouncing upon the free meal with gusty action. Then the screams became real in their fear and urgency.

He waited for the night to quiet down and headed back home. The trio had abandoned their costumes at their assigned station, and caught up to him near the edges of the town.

"That was so funny!" Luffy laughed noisily. "They were so terrified!"

"Great job, you guys," Ace congratulated. "I'm not mad at ya'll, anymore."

"What were you even mad about in the first place?" Sabo mused.

"You guys didn't suck, tonight," Law said gruffly, holding onto his sword with pensive fingers.

"Where's Sanji?" Ace then asked with a bewildered face. "I thought he was with us."

"Locked him in the basement. He was hysterical. Part of…our…stupid urges," Law muttered with frustration.

"No, there were others wearing costumes with us. So I thought one of them was Sanji."

All the boys fell silent as Law looked at him with a start.

"Well, Brook told us this was the land of the dead," Luffy said nervously, pressing up against Sabo as he looked around them apprehensively. "And zombies don't come out here because…they're already dead…"

"Do we really have to leave?" Ace asked Law again. "I mean…look…we have it good here. We even have freaking _ghosts_ helping us out. We haven't seen a zombie in literal years. Men stay away because they're afraid of everything. We survived, we did well. Why move to a place that's gonna try and change us?"

"It's not for you guys, really," Law answered, looking around with caution. The three boys were suddenly too close to him, and while he realized that the assistance of the ghosts was a good thing, he was smothered. At the same time, he didn't push them away because he'd watched the confrontation. It hadn't even occurred to him that he was seeing actual ghosts helping the boys scare away the group.

He was the oldest – he had a presence to maintain. He swallowed tightly, clutching his sword with both hands.

They re-entered the library without Law having to finish his argument all over again. But this time his instincts were shooting off the hook, and the boys' was as well. All of them stiffened within the front entrance way, unsure of what it was that had them on edge.

The sound of heavy boots across the floor caught their attention. It was foreign, too heavy to be someone they knew. From the main hall ahead of them emerged a man. His tall body was encased with armor, outside survival gear and what looked like a flashlight dangling from his utility belt. He was dragging Shachi by the back of his shirt, but it looked like the man was unconscious. Once the man caught sight of the boys, he dropped Shachi like a sack of potatoes to the floor. The shadows kept the quartet from seeing his face, but realized he was wearing a hood with goggles in place. From the glow of the lenses, they were night vision goggles.

Law felt his instinct ring, as if someone had lit him with a match. He recognized another alpha just by the feeling alone, and it made all of him apprehensive. He realized he'd failed to count the amount of men they'd run into and that was his last mistake. The pair must have slipped around the group in the chaos.

"Well…hello, there," the man spoke lightly, voice heavy with smug satisfaction while muffled by the hood.

The boys tensed. From behind him emerged another man, holding a squirming Sanji under one arm and dragging Penguin by the other.

"Your puny ass bodyguards were nothing against my might. _Weaklings_. I wasn't paid enough for this shit. But the spoils of bounty hunting includes taking things that catch my eye – omegas sell for a lot more than slaves on the market."

Law immediately grew enraged, the boys leaping away from him as his Room flashed out into place. His hand shot out to rip the men to pieces but the one in the lead lifted his hand and clamped metal over Law's hand and arm. Law looked at this with startled action, not expecting the gesture. Then he found himself jerked off his feet and swung down hard into the floor, dropping his sword.

The trio gasped with theatrical shock.

The man laughed. "You _thought_!"

From the other man's arm, Sanji gave an enraged snarl. He exploded with flames and heat, causing his captor to drop him and the first to react with startled sound. Ace shot forward and rammed up against the back of his legs with his body when Sanji jumped off the second man and kicked the first with both legs. Felled noisily, the man grunted. Sabo and Ace shot forward, Sabo using his metal pipe to swing mightily for distance while Luffy charged at the second man. After some fierce fighting, the kids managed to bring both men down to their knees. The metal pieces on Law's hand released him, and he stood unsteadily, stunned by what just happened.

Sanji hurried over to him and jumped at him with another crushing hug. Unsteady on his feet after being defeated that easily, Law bent to hold onto him numbly. His mind screamed at him in panic and frantic acknowledgement that he'd failed something he was overly confident about. The trio used Ace's shirt and Sabo's jacket to tie their hands and arms together. Luffy waited pensively for the moment when Ace would give him the signal, and when it happened, he ripped off their hoods and goggles.

They were all startled at seeing a pair of teenagers sitting there, looking just as dumbstruck as Law felt. It was their heights and the weight of their armor that had given them an adult's appearance, but it was clear by the round faces and acne that this wasn't actually the case. Jutting Adam's apples and awkwardly large bone structures in the midst of growth gave them away immediately.

In the stunned silence, Ace couldn't take it anymore. He slapped the lead's face with one palm.

"OW!" the redhead shrilled, voice changing from one octave to the next. " _Why'd you do that_?"

The kids erupted into mocking laughter. Hearing that the teen was younger than him, Law walked up to them numbly, Sanji clinging to one leg tightly. Both of them could feel the radiating tension from the other teen and understood that they were in the presence of an unpaired alpha. Ignoring the kids mocking him, the redhead looked at the bonded pair. His eyes dropped to Sanji, and his face flushed with rising color, causing him to squirm awkwardly.

Law's teeth bared before either of them could say anything. He used his free hand to pull the other teen's head from his shoulders, and kicked it like a soccer ball away from them. Hearing his voice as he sailed away with a shocked scream, Law struggled to think clearly. He then clung to his omega with both arms, confused and frustrated and nervous. He felt inept with the lack of his normal control – he felt mindless with possession and tension, ready to strike clumsily just for the gesture of it.

"Law?" Sabo then asked tentatively, recognizing that something was happening in front of them and they'd been too busy laughing to see it.

"That guy's an alpha. He's dangerous, and I will kill him. Both of them," Law added, looking at the second teen with promise. "Take Sanji away from here. To your third base. Stay there until I come get you."

" _Don't go_ ," Sanji muttered, arms tightening around his leg. "I don't want to go!"

Sabo gently pried his arms off and coaxed him into walking. Luffy and Ace followed along with puzzled expressions, but Ace held back, looking at Law skeptically. Then he pushed Luffy to follow after the others.

"I'll stay and provide backup," he decided with confidence. "Since Law got defeated right in front of us."

" _I didn't_!" Law hissed at him, but reddening with humiliation. He was numb with how easy it had happened, and looked at his hands with a sort of shock he hadn't felt in a long time. The doors shut behind them, leaving the pair to stare at the remaining teen left behind. Law turned to face him, noting the moving body in front of him. Ace grinned, positive they were going to have a good time.


	11. Chapter 11

**: : Eleven**

* * *

Sabo opened the door to their third base, which was a cellar located within the center of the abandoned town, Luffy and Sanji walking in with obvious emotional states. Luffy was pouting for being excluded and Sanji was with a different emotion, so Sabo shut the door behind them and waited for them to power up the light sources.

"I hate being treated like a little kid," Luffy muttered, taking to one of the folding chairs and slouching in it. "Why can't I hang out with the others and watch?"

"For one," Sabo said, coaxing Sanji to sit in the other chair, "Law is the only alpha we've known. And his powers are something else. We just watched another alpha attack him, and clearly he was…troubled. Frankly considering, you younger kids could be used as bait or possibly get seriously hurt."

"I haven't been hurt in all my life."

Sabo stared at him with a flat expression until Luffy started to sweat, averting his eyes. Sabo then looked to Sanji, furrowing his brow.

"I hate myself," he muttered bitterly, Sabo fretting. "This stupid thing…I can only feel that I'm not in my control. I'm scared, and I don't understand why, and I don't wanna be scared because no one scares me."

Luffy looked to him, then reached out with a hand to his shoulder. "We're here with you! You don't have to be scared now."

"It's not that type of scared!" Sanji insisted, accepting the gesture. He struggled to look braver for the younger kid. "It's…something that's…like looking at an animal in the face and knowing it's going to bite. And I know I can fight it, but something in me just – holds back! It's frustrating! I'm not a baby!"

"You aren't," Luffy whispered with sympathy, patting his shoulder. "You're one of the bravest kids I know!"

"Thank you, Luffy…"

"You can't fight instinct, Sanji," Sabo said gently, sitting on his knees before them. "If it's telling you you need to be scared, there's a reason for it. Try to understand that it's telling you you need to be safe."

"What's that guy gonna do? Like I'm not afraid of violence!"

Sabo recalled Law once saying that alphas responded to omegas in foundations that included terrible acts of crime – but he wasn't sure if he should say that. It felt wrong, especially when addressing a child. Sabo now understood the basics of alpha and omegas, and while it sounded like a dreadful existence for both, actually being in the presence of it felt like a burden he wasn't sure how to handle. It was times like these when he wished for an adult's presence.

"Um, well," he stuttered nervously, "perhaps it was that…alpha's response to you. Something he can't control, either. Both of you complain regularly that you do things you each cannot help, and he seems our age, so maybe he can't control himself, either."

"Law told me that things like that happen, but I'm bonded," Sanji muttered. "So alphas shouldn't respond to me that way. I actually can't take another's child, so…"

Sabo was slightly relieved Law spoke more to Sanji about these things than Sabo ever could. "Well," he said, "perhaps it's that alpha's own uncontrollable instinct. He's learning to…accept himself as well. He probably can't help it."

"I just don't want Law to be there alone because I saw how he reacted," Sanji then said, nervously playing with his fingers. "If my pair dies, I could take on another. Like…we're only animals. And…I… I'm scared of that happening because I'm used to him already – I can't get used to someone else!"

Luffy looked downright confused, looking at Sabo with his mouth open and his expression explaining it all.

Sanji sighed heavily. "I guess I'm just afraid of him for these reasons. I know he stumbles when he hits a barrier and he gets right up but it might be too late, now. Facing off with another who could kill him and I could…be open…?"

Sabo swallowed tightly.

"I might've sensed him coming," Sanji then determined. "Because why would I be afraid of _those_ guys…?"

"A bad guy radar," Luffy whispered, eyes widening. "You can sense extreme bad guys and give us a heads-up and we'd be prepared!"

Sanji looked at him, then brightened up while Sabo looked concerned. "I could! Like a radar! Extra sensory perception!"

"I don't know what that is, but it sounds like exactly what I just said!"

The kids grinned at each other and Sabo had to admit that it felt okay to accept.

"Okay," he said slowly. "There's that. But um…I would have more confidence in your pair, Sanji. He's done quite alright these past few years. You have to admit, he takes good care of us. Considering…well, he's a fast learner. He's come a long way from barely being able to focus on one object and now he's expanding his…Room and including multiple bodies from a distance without seeing them. However he does it, he's been successful so far."

Sanji thought about it. He thought about that first time Law was to use them while he was panicking – he couldn't teleport them out of the car when it had wrecked, with Corazon commanding him to. So his feelings of insecurity began to dim a little. He had to admit that Law was stronger since then, and it was because he'd practiced and worked hard on including other methods with his basics. He could take apart and put together properly, and even go so far as fixing a man's arm. He could assimilate from a distance and could easily teleport them in the same manner. All with flicks of his hand – which caused worry because that new alpha had caught on immediately and restrained him. So the new worry hit him.

Sabo realized Sanji was over worrying and he couldn't do a think about it.

"Listen," he then said, capturing the pair's attention, "let's do this. Give it exactly fifteen minutes then we'll sneak in from the tower."

The two brightened, and Sabo had his doubts, but his own were wondering _What If_ …?

: :

Law had been overconfident that both were restrained properly. He had to stop thinking he was allowed to relax when a man was down. The other bounty hunter attacked him with matching machetes, and Law used his sword to fend off the fierce attacks. The kid was quite light on his feet while absolutely silent. Most of his actions were newer movements compared to the kids' attacks with their favored metal pipes, and Law was struggling to keep up. If he wasn't careful, one of those machetes would sink right into him.

The sound of their battle rattled off the libary walls. All Law saw was long, grungy blond hair fashioned into a ponytail that vaguely reminded Law of Sanji's old hairstyle. Thinking about that picture for a moment propelled him into gaining more strength and confidence in his defense. He flipped a hand and slapped the flat of the blade outward, catching the down swing of those machetes, then kicked out with a knee to the other kid's gut. Once he saw him bend forward in reaction, he then applied all his weight and strength to his sword's grip and smashed it into that teen's face. Once he stumbled back, his arms swinging downward in continued motion once the barrier was lost, Law leapt away for space, resettling back into defensive position.

He glanced over at Ace and saw the kid looking dazed, struggling to get up. The other teen had punched him pretty hard across the temple, and the kid had dropped deadweight to the floor. Both Law and Ace had been unprepared for the surprise attack, and it infuriated Law that he was this weak.

The other teen caught his breath, shaking a little as he made to steady himself. From the shouts ringing out in the distance, his friend was hollering at him to come and pick him up. Law grit his teeth – this other teen was a normal kid. No powers to speak of. And his fighting skill, while fierce and agile, wasn't as strong as a man's. They were equally matched. The kid was just as winded as he, but Law should have already beat him already. His continuous need for perfection berated him for not handling the situation properly.

Law still had his Room up – just in case, which left him straining with concentration amidst the physical fight. He released his sword with one hand to make a gesture and the teen attacked savagely, forcing Law to grip his sword once more and focus on defense. Iron clanked noisily against iron, and Law realized he was being driven back. They would hit a corridor leading to the kitchen in a few more feet.

He managed to catch the downward sing of one machete with the length of his sword, twisting hard to the right to avoid being sliced by the left – just as the other teen regained his footing, a man appeared between them. It was an instant vision of a man without defined facial features, but it shook the other teen with a start. Law used that moment to swing outward, knocking one machete out of his grasp. He used his foot to kick it behind him, and the kid adjusted his stance with a hard exhale.

Law drove forward, putting all his strength into several sweeps that had the killer jumping backward and forcing his body to react defensively. Once he had the appropriate distance, Law released the sword with one hand and used a gesture against the braided handle to send the teen flying off his feet and slamming into the ceiling. He finally made a sound, grunting with impact – Law swept his hand to the side with enough force to have the teen cracking his head against the wall, watching him slump down onto the floor after releasing his machete.

Panting for breath, Law stood there for several moments, trying to get himself put back together. He released his Room, feeling exhausted. Lowering his sword to his side, Law struggled to find the energy needed to finish the teen off.

… _don't_ , someone whispered at his side.

"Why?" he questioned sharply.

When he didn't receive an answer, Law slowly walked over to the other teen. His hair pretty much covered his face, and Law thought about how many times he'd seen kids throughout his life.

 _But this is an enemy_ , he thought to himself, furrowing his brow. _Who will one day oppose me as a result of this encounter_ -

' _Doflamingo_ has been killing other people since before you arrived to Spider Miles, Law. For territory, for shallow disputes for reputation!' Corazon's voice flittered over his thoughts all of a sudden, as if the man himself spoke them aloud. Jolted by remembering his words at this pinnacle moment, Law debated with himself. He could say it was the protection of himself and the others, but at the same time, if someone were looking for these two and the others that had accompanied them – it would be for reputation. Here was an alpha that had just destroyed others – how valuable could he be for others to use?

Or he could just pick up the kids and jet away in the night, leaving this all behind them and avoiding that reputation.

Law refused to be like Doflamingo.

He turned away from the kid, but formed the Room once more. He jerked up pieces of the floor and encased the kid within them. He wasn't dead but he wasn't allowed to leave, either. His friend would have to save him himself.

Law dissipated the Room, found his sheath, and slid the sword back home. He looked at it with approval. He and the kids had found it sitting in the open one day while they were out hunting. Gleaming in the sunlight, the colors of its sheath and rope as brilliant as the day it was made, catching his attention amidst the foliage. The kids had oohed and ahhed over it but someone had told Law, _It's yours_.

And it _felt_ like his. It felt like a personality that fit Law, and it felt like an extension he'd never thought he wanted. It was lengthy and completely out of his knowledge, but he learned that the length was useful for keeping distance in allowing him to weld his powers safely and none of the kids could hit him when he was using it.

He then tossed it around his shoulders, strap in place. Heading over to Ace, he crouched down next to him to look at him with pity. Ace looked back at him with a petulant expression.

"Does it hurt?" Law asked.

"My brain's ringing," Ace admitted stiffly. Law examined him for himself, assimilating briefly to discover the painful headache there. With his other hand, he drew upward – coaxing the blood vessels that had reacted to widen to allow blood flow. Ace would have a bruise, but at least his headache would lessen. Ace sighed with a pouty expression.

"That guy was good," Ace muttered. "I didn't even see him get up. Those knots were supposed to be tight. We trap animals and monsters with those knots!"

"Lesson learned, right?" Law straightened away from him. "Go to the others."

" _But_ \- !"

"GO!"

Without any more argument, Ace grumbled and took off, his steps unsteady. Once Law heard the front doors open and close, he ventured off towards the head that was yelling from the main first floor. He found the teen snarling at him, tilted over on the floor with an angry expression. But it was obvious his concern for his friend made him bold.

The teen glared up at Law, who watched him with revulsion.

"I thought alphas were supposed to be good looking," he muttered, causing the teen to react with anger.

"Obviously I'm a slow grower!"

"Is that the same pithy excuse you'll tell your partners in the bedroom?"

" _Why_ , you - !"

"Who hired you?" Law then asked. "Enel?"

"None of it matters to you! I came for those two punks over there!"

 _Conscripture_ , someone whispered close to Law's left ear, causing him to shiver.

Not understanding the meaning, he asked aloud, "What does that mean?"

…. _bought_.

The kid looked at him with bewilderment, eyes rolling about as he searched for whomever it was that caused Law to speak out loud. "Someone paid you to find them. They're slaves who've run at an opportunity, and you've mentioned that you're a bounty hunter. So it goes to say that you worked for Enel, which means you pledge allegiance to no one which means you're a free agent. Which tells me you don't come from a larger group than which we fought already – which means, as an individual, if I should kill you, no one will come looking for us."

The other teen sputtered, unsure of where to start first. But he said, "You sound like a damn nerd!"

Reluctantly, Law then added, "I won't kill you. Not intentionally."

"You bastard – "

"What's your name, kid?"

" _Don't call me a fuckin' kid_!"

"You're younger than me, I can do whatever I want. Don't forget, you can't do a thing to stop me _but_ ," Law added patiently, "if you should follow my orders, your friend can be saved. Only you can do it, so you better listen carefully."

For once, the teen's voice sputtered then changed expression. There was loyalty there, and Law jumped on it. He snatched the head up by his hair and looked revolted.

"Clearly, you don't bathe," he muttered, pinching his nose shut. "I'll have to burn my hands in oil just to get rid of yours."

"I'll never forget your face! Once I find you - !"

"Threats won't help you," Law reminded him, walking back towards his body. He was relieved to see Shachi up and moving, looking just as dazed as Ace was earlier. "You okay?"

Shachi registered that he was there, and gave a pained nod. Seeing that Penguin was still out, Law said, "If you can help, we're going to dump him in the basement. It can be locked from the outside."

"So stupid, I can use _magic_ to manipulate _metal_ ," the kid told him impatiently. "And I can blast those doors right open."

"The lock is made of wood, which can hold doors shut in the event of a tornado, so do your best," Law told him flatly, which caused that confident expression to drop again. "Now, this won't be easy for both of you, but it'll give us time to escape."

"You're so fucking dumb! Why allow us to live when we can come back and bite you in the ass?"

"Indeed. I am a benevolent soul. Take appreciation of it."

He set the head down, and it took several minutes for them to move the bounty hunter's wiggling body down the basement stairs and into the room. The kids had left it in a fantastic mess, but there were plenty of blankets and toys lying about for the teen to occupy himself with. Law retrieved his head, and after making sure Shachi was a good distance away, he moved to put the teen back together.

But before he could do so, Law told him, "If either of you can remove yourselves from your bonds, you may escape. But he's trapped between floor and foundation. It's up to you to figure out how to escape."

The teen looked rattled. "How the fuck are you _benevolent_?"

"Also. I couldn't help but notice your reaction to…my omega."

"You're disgusting. Bonding yourself to a _kid_."

"You reacted to that same kid, don't forget your place." Seeing his face redden as much as his hair, Law settled himself once more. It took a lot not to react in a way he wanted to. But Corazon's voice at the back of his thoughts seemed to placate him. Once he was composed, Law asked, "I had thought that other alphas couldn't react to a bonded omega."

"You talk book smart, shit head. But it sounds like you lack common sense. We react to whomever the fuck we want."

Law stared at him until the teen realized _who_ he was reacting to. His face turned purple once more as he sputtered noises that should have been words. His body in the background reacted with upraised hands that fluttered with agitation.

"I don't know shit about that!" the kid finally exclaimed, voice changing. "I actually never ran into one, myself! It's the first one I'd recognized as a damn trash can, I couldn't help it! You say you _bonded_? That's fucking filthy!"

"It was a marriage forced upon us years ago by a priest."

A little confused, the kid absorbed this information then said, " _I don't know_! I don't know anything about that shit! I never researched it myself! All I know is that I got powers from it! We're fuckin' rare things out there in the world, like I told ya earlier, that's the _first_ omega I ever met! I don't know what you're trying to ask when you're yelling at me!"

Law remembered the priest telling Doflamingo that the ritual couldn't be complete if the bride was underage. "So if the bond isn't complete, then he can still attract other alphas…"

"So, what, you're gonna go right off and complete the act? Fucking _disgusting_ …"

Law sought to arrange his thoughts. His emotions of revulsion roiled inside of him, but he acknowledged one small relief. Despite their bond, a forced marriage that forced them to feel things for each other, they weren't entirely mated. In a way, he felt he had a chance.

 _To_ what _, exactly? Escape? I can't even stay away from him for fifteen minutes,_ he thought with exasperation. _And with his maturation, he can't stay away from me_.

"Look," the noisy teen said, capturing his attention, "whatever your shitty story, it has nothing to do with me. But if I, a great man myself, can react to that kid, I'd think that whatever you're reading wasn't the right stuff."

"Which means…if another alpha came along and sensed that for themselves…they could attach to him. Which means I…could be free…"

"This has _nothing_ to do with me…"

"This is such a revolting topic," Law muttered to himself, lowering his head to his side. His fingers tightened in his hair as the kid sputtered noisily in protest. "But consider this a warning, shit head. You can be an animal and allow your instincts to control you, or you can rise up and be a man. Like me."

"Like _hell_ I'd want to be like you - !"

Unbeknownst to Law, the other teenager had his body up and moving towards him. Quickly, Shachi took him down with a kick to the back of his knees and shoved him away while the head cried out with surprise. Law looked over at him with a frown.

He reattached the kid's head, then teleported out of the room at a safe distance. Shachi quickly shut the doors, Law locking it in place with the heavy piece of wood. They couldn't hear anything inside.

Shachi looked at him uncomfortably. He had dried blood glued to his neck and collarbone from his head injury, and Law winced, wondering if continued head impacts had left more damage to his brain.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Shachi said slowly, speech slightly slurred and naturally slow – as if struggling to remember words, "but bulls can't just impregnate whatever cow is available. Bulls are forced to rape at man's hand because cows choose their mates, and they probably won't choose him."

Law stared at him, processing this answer. He exhaled tightly. "…this is such a revolting topic. Whatever decided that sub genders was a good idea - !"

"The strongest have to survive. In this world. I ain't ever seen so many kids, before. You're all strong. So it makes sense that a strong…boy…can…take on the responsibilities of…mating…? For future generations."

Law frowned heavily, wearing a revolted expression. "If only the circumstances were different."

Shachi shrugged helplessly, unable to assist with that.

Not wanting to discuss the topic any longer, Law muttered, "Grab your things. We're leaving tonight."

Shachi didn't move, looking down at his boots.

Law hesitated once he saw Shachi looking disappointed in himself.

"We're useless."

Seeing that the man was beating himself up for his predicament, Law felt that sympathy hit him again. He swallowed tightly, reaching out to clasp a hand on his shoulder.

"You just helped me, here. And there's nothing – we don't know all that much, and you guys have other outside experience that will come in handy. I think, together, we can help each other. Don't call yourself useless."

"Neither of us can contribute to much. Only physical labor."

"That's fine," Law said. "We can't do everything ourselves. We're going to need your help."

"But it won't matter if we're not as strong as you guys."

"We can't lift and dig and hoe and…whatever it was you guys did," Law assured him clumsily. "I'm sure all that will come in handy."

Shachi gave him a skeptical look, still feeling uncertainty. He nodded anyway. Patting his shoulder, Law then turned away and headed upstairs to grab his bag.

: :

Sabo arrived with the others, surprising them as they were gathering their things and helping Penguin recover. Seeing the situation as it was, combined with Ace's report, Sabo nodded. It was all he could do. The group made their way to their motorcycles, which were packed already and everyone, despite the time, was ready to go. They left the town behind them, setting off onto the main road. It was dark and dangerous, but Law was confident that they'd be fine. This situation here spoke volumes of their capabilities, but he had his to reflect on.

The first motorcycle was modified with a longer seat – the boys drove each other around on it, crowding upon it while Sabo or Ace drove, but now it was piled with four bodies with Law at the handles. He had Sanji in front of him, with Sabo against his back, and Ace and Luffy sitting at the back, clasping onto each other. Penguin and Shachi used the other motorcycle, which was packed tightly with their belongings. Law was thinking about the encounter when Sanji mumbled just loud enough to be heard, "You didn't kill them, did you?"

Annoyed at the question, Law struggled to ignore Ace and Luffy's argument on who had to use the only helmet they had. Sabo was snoring against his back.

"No," he answered reluctantly.

Sanji let out a sound of relief, and Law had to crane his head down to look at him with a puzzled expression.

"There's too much death, so it doesn't make sense that you're the cause of it," Sanji told him, tilting his head back against Law to look at him.

"It could still happen," Law then mumbled. "With the way I left them."

"The world's for the strong so if they aren't strong, then that's on them," Sanji said lightly.

"Yep."

"But it's okay to be weak, too," Sanji then said, twisting slightly to look back at the other motorcycle. "I think kindness speaks bigger than fear."

"Says the kid who kicks other kids in the nuts if they don't eat everything he makes."

"It's not good to waste food!"

Law thought about the exchange he had with the other alpha. He felt uneasy revulsion slosh around in his mid-section, watching the headlamp illuminate the road ahead of them. It would take a while before they reached any territory, so the loud engines screamed through the trees like an accusing giveaway.

 _How disgusting do you have to be to complete an act_? he thought to himself, upper lip curling. The more he thought about it, the more Doflamingo's taunts came back to him. So it fired his building hate for the man, and built more anger in him. Law was so blind back then, spoiled by comfort and fake security that to find himself now felt like he'd pulled himself from a tar pit. Ever so slowly, he was removing the clinging pieces of weight that went with him.

He was proud of himself for leaving the alpha and his friend intact – he didn't do it for the reputation, but he didn't give them that much of a choice, either. He was determined not to be that man.

: :

They made camp late the next day. The kids were exhausted and laid out sloppy tents before falling asleep. The two men contributed lightly to the camp before Law allowed them to take their rest. He was exhausted, but his mind kept moving. He looked over the map carefully, consulting his battered compass and tracking their progress through various towns before settling in a hilly landscape that overlooked a land of thick trees. There was the ocean in the considerable distance – a slow moving fog coated the horizon. It was cold, but everyone was dressed warmly. They'd received odd looks but the kids covered themselves up in hoods and capes – their small frames still standing out. They didn't linger long in the areas they passed through.

The road was wide and uneven – they'd set up camp just high enough to overlook it, and to avoid being seen by the travelers that moved through. He watched as a horse drawn carriage and a trailer attached to it passed by, with several people around it. Their voices were loud and cheery, talking about light, everyday things. Law watched them pass cautiously, feeling apprehensive.

He wondered if they'd run into Shanks along the way. He felt old anger flare up inside of him as he did. The man gave them pretty promises then moved on without any more indication that he was speaking the truth or creating pretty music as Sanji's Pied Piper. It seemed whenever Shanks ran into children, he created a promising picture of a fabled land that may or may not exist. He considered himself a 'hunter', so did he not follow the blood trail left behind to make sure a kill had been completed?

He rummaged through the food pack and pulled out a bruised apple. Eating that, he looked over the map once more, closed up his compass, then settled with his head on Sanji's back to get some sleep.

He woke up, unsure of the reason why; it was either the ringing, intense pain in his head or the noise that made it difficult to stay asleep. His thought was that the kids were fighting again, and he had been so exhausted that he slept through it without trouble and ended up as a victim. Someone must have either hit him on accident or landed on him during some intense wrestling.

So before he opened his eyes and registered exactly what it was, he bellowed mightily. " _Shut the fuck up_ , all of you!"

The intense silence allowed him relief, but it didn't remove the jarring sensation of movement. Confused, Law opened an eye. He realized the sky and the trees overhead were missing, and he was looking up at the ceiling of a steel cage. He sat up with a start and choked at the feel of weight and restraint around his neck, his hands moving up to explore and finding them restrained at the wrists as well. Shocked, Law struggled to sit up properly and could only twist his head around to see surprised kids' faces looking in his direction with chastised expressions.

Only, he didn't know these kids. Their dirty faces and worn, hollow cheeks suggested maltreatment and starvation, their expressions of despair foretelling of their fate. He swallowed tightly and searched for his omega.

" _What the fuck_ ," he cried with horror, straining to reach for the collar around his neck.

"Law!" he heard Ace bellow, a short distance away. Separated by steel walls between them – the abrupt pounding told him that those kids were caged as well. The others called out, their voices suggesting distance between them all. The ones he could see looked confused and frightened. "You finally awake? We got caught!"

The bars of his cage door rattled with a punch, and Law looked over with a start to see a man grinning in at him.

"Hello, there! Long time no see, Trafalgar," Bellamy said cheerily. With horror, Law stared at him; recalling his younger face years ago. This man idolized Doflamingo. Realizing their predicament, the surroundings showed him a road they hadn't explored, and what looked like a caravan of vehicles. The rumble of engines and snorts of horses told him they were moving slowly. "Don't worry about the restraints, it's necessary I chain up all the big kids. It's good to see you two are okay. We were worried about you guys. Thought you were snatched up and eaten by monsters years ago."

"Where's Sanji?" Law asked with panic, trying to sit up and finding it difficult to do so.

"Oh, don't worry about him," Bellamy assured him with a rather mean expression. "He's taking company and getting to know the rest of us."

Law stared at him with mounting horror, searching for any disturbance within himself. He wanted to clutch his head, but his hands remained inches from the floor. The cage was banged upon from his left.

" _I blame you for this_!"

The voice was startlingly familiar, causing Law to suck in surprise air. " _Kid_?"

"DON'T CALL ME A KID!"

"There was a surprising amount of you guys along this route," Bellamy continued, amazed. "All our cages are full, we've been stuffing you guys two to. Gave you some special treatment, upon Doflamingo's request. He's excited to see you guys, again."

Law struggled to hide his dismay, but his voice was shaky when he demanded, "Give me even more special treatment and bring Sanji in here with me."

"I ain't no damn baby! I can stick it out by myself!"

Law's head snapped in that direction. He couldn't see Sanji, but his voice came from the other rows of kids to his left, in freestanding cages with lighter security spaces. Almost like chickens on display behind wire. Law exhaled shallowly with hidden relief. Bellamy laughed at his expression, walking on. He banged upon the cage doors one by one while a motorcycle passed by. He recognized Doflamingo's crest and colors on it. Panic and horror flooded through him, and he looked at his restraints. Glancing back at the fallen expressions of the kids to his left, Law noted that they wore a variety of worn clothing, smelling of various scents that suggested they hadn't been able to bathe in a while. Unlike he, they were unrestrained – just shoved into small cages that only allowed them to sit.

Some of them were young, Sanji's age. Surely potential candidates to alpha or omega status. His instincts were already going haywire with the recognizance of others, but it was possibly just the kid next to him.

"Why haven't you used your abilities, kid?" he asked his neighbor, knocking on the wall separating them.

"I won't answer to that stupid name."

"I let you go and you still get caught."

"Shut up! It's because you imprisoned us both that we both got caught! This is _your fault_."

"Your powers. _Why_?"

"I don't know," the kid replied with a rather surprised look. "I can't use my magic here."

Law examined the ceiling, head aching with such an intense throb that it was difficult to hold properly. He ended up using his shoulder to provide some sort of relief against the movement of the vehicle. He squeezed his eyes shut and angrily hit the floor.

"Every time I fucking shut my eyes - !" he muttered to himself with disbelief, opening his eyes to glare at his feet. "There's always shit that happens…"

He trailed off, noticing that there were kids staring at him with curiosity. He struggled to ignore them. Concentrating hard, he closed his eyes and moved to form a Room. There was an immense weight to the action that caused him to jolt – he realized his magic was being purposely blocked. The feeling was horrifying after all these years of being free to use them as he pleased. He couldn't talk to the others, and that was a difficulty in itself.

He looked at the kids again, noting their bedraggled state.

"Sanji!" he then called out. "Status update."

"We all got _caught_ , dumb ass," Sanji said, appearing over the heads of others as he stood at a crouch, stuck into a cage of his own. Law looked him over, then furrowed his brow.

"But you're free."

"Yeah." Sanji winked repeatedly with indication that he knew exactly what Law was thinking. Law couldn't help but smirk. Looking around himself, Sanji then said, "There's twelve kids here. Seven boys and five girls. In your row is ten kids, including you and those other dumbasses."

"We're not dumb!" Ace bellowed back angrily. "We was just tired! We didn't hear nothin' til we were being dropped!"

"Including those other two?" Law asked Sanji over his shout.

"Yeah. We're _all_ here. There's seven men in Doffy's colors. Two vehicles. One of which is us on the back of what looks like a trailer. We're in a big truck. The other is a coach. There are four motorcycles. None of those guys are alphas. Just you two guys."

The other kids looked at Sanji with doubt, then continued listening as Law absorbed this information.

"How long was I out?"

"I counted two hours." Sanji tutted, giving him a disgusted look. "I think you got a sleeping disability, because you don't wake up for _shit_ when you're tired. But it was Bellamy that knocked you senseless cuz he said he was pissed at you for being alive and he was already mad because I called him a loser still in Doffy's diapers and Ace was calling him names and Luffy spit on him so he took it out on you. You slept right through it."

"I will never sleep again," Law vowed uselessly. Without warning, he head-butted the wall separating him from the other teen, startling him into a curse. "Keep your eyes to yourself, pervert."

"I wasn't even _doing_ anything!"

"I can _smell_ it."

"YOU CANNOT. What are you, a goddamn dog?" the other teen exclaimed, voice switching octaves.

Law struggled to compose himself, head ringing with the impact. One of the kids looked at him with amusement. He looked to be Sanji's age, with a girl clinging to his arm with a frightened look.

"Before you bash your head in," Sanji continued, leaning against the cage, face distorting against the metal, "let's plan. Because I don't wanna go back to that place. I need to use you to do it if I want to rescue the others."

He reached into his shirt pocket and withdrew a key. "I found this. I don't know what it goes to, but it was in Bellamy's vest pocket. He might be missing it soon. He's still stupid – all he wanted to do was talk to Doffy before paying any attention to anything."

Sanji then crouched, whispering for the unrestrained kids to pass the key over. The one closest to Law pushed his thin arm through the bars and allowed Law to take it under the cover of one hand. Then he froze.

"How the hell am I going to distort myself to use this?" he muttered, finding that his hands were restrained shoulder width to the floor without much room to move them. Then he noticed that his feet weren't restrained, and it took several moments of consideration before he used one foot to slip out of one boot.

Sanji laughed at him. "You have long toes, but I doubt you have the coordination to do that!"

"Shut up, brat! Words of encouragement, not doubt," Law grumbled, slipping out of his mended socks and staring at his bony, narrow feet. He wiggled his toes and realized he was not Luffy – he never had to use his feet in this way. So doubt weighed heavily on his expression.

"If you can contort yourself to use your toes as fingers, I'm going to be impressed," the kid said to him with doubt, crinkling his brow. His hair was so dirty that Law swore it was startling to mold – patches of green were evident in the roots.

"What the hell is going on over there?" the other teen demanded from next door.

Law glanced at the first kid, noting his amused look. "Shut up. You've got a big forehead."

"To hide big brains."

Law remembered Sanji telling him that same thing long time ago.

"I'll only do it if I know for sure you can," Sanji then called out to him, still pressed against his cage.

Law knew he couldn't contort himself to do so, but he could use his magic if he willed it so. He closed his eyes, striving to ignore everything around him. He focused on forming his Room – as little as he could. The weight against him convinced him that he couldn't, but he mused himself to be a stubborn shit that refused to give up. It was almost the sensation of blowing up a balloon in a very small, tight space; that space popped the balloon every single time he willed it. His head throbbed with aching sensation as he focused all his energy on the area around his wrist. He had just enough space to form a very light, weak Room that wavered unsteadily, threatening to die out just as quickly.

At that moment, he thought of Corazon desperately urging him to teleport himself and Sanji out of the rolled car. The memory propelled him into focusing intensely, the Room growing distinctively stronger. It wavered like a glitch, and without any more thought he jerked his wrist upward to free himself.

Once his arm was free, Law had to catch his breath. He felt like someone had nearly smothered him – all his muscles felt weak and useless, and he crumbled backward with a tired sound.

"Oh, c'mon," the kid next to him said, big forehead pressed against his cage as he looked at Law with disappointment. "You're going to give out right when it matters?"

Law rolled his eyes, finding it difficult to straighten up. "That took a lot out of me."

"I knew you could do it!" Sanji cheered. "So, should I do it now?"

" _Wait_ \- !" Law called out breathlessly, focusing on the ceiling. He just needed a few minutes to regroup – every part of him felt like jelly, head ringing continuously. His neighbor pounded upon the wall separating him.

"What you doing over there? It better involve me!"

With a heavy roll of his eyes, Law struggled to sit up. He clenched and unclenched his fingers, then found it too exhausting to do much else. It felt like he was being drained of everything he had left. He slumped against the wall of his cage, feeling his limbs shake.

" _Great_ ," he heard Sanji say with a heavy sigh. "He's dead. Too bad for him, good for me! I'm a free man! Ladies, yes, all of you – I am single. Guess what? I can cook so you don't have to lift a finger!"

" _Shut up_ ," the kid next to Law grumbled, looking back at him incredulously as the girl clinging to him looked startled. "Have you seen your face? No female is going to find you attractive!"

"Funny, the grass in a human body is talking to me like he matters!"

Law sat up, bracing himself against the floor. Sanji gave a long sigh of frustration, while the kids closest to Law clapped with amazement.

"Stop trying to kill me!" Law snarled at Sanji with gritted teeth, then panted for effort.

"So, if you're dead," his neighbor mused, "then can I have - ?"

Before he could finish it, Law punched the wall separating them, the noise surprisingly loud. He knew he was strong, but to actually see the dent caused Law surprise. He looked at his flexing hand with rising awe.

"I WAS GOING TO SAY YOUR FUCKING _SWORD_!"

"You have a sword?" the kid closest to Law whispered with surprise. "I have three of them."

" _God_ ," Law muttered, free hand to his forehead as his headache persisted, "I hate kids…"

Face pressed against his cage, Sanji then said, "Then hurry up so I can get spayed."

" _Who taught you that_?"

"Ace. Said they used to do that to stray animals in the villages he used to stay at. That's correct, right? Or is it neutered?"

Law struggled to stay focused. But he grabbed the key and used it to turn the lock of his other restraint. His hands free, he found the lock in his collar and turned that as well. Once he was free, he shifted away to try and see if he could see Bellamy and the others. But judging from the amount of dust rising with the truck's movement, and the motorcycles' action away from the cages, he decided it was time.

He looked to Sanji and nodded.

Sanji coaxed those surrounding him to get as far away from him as he could. Once they shuffled out of his proximity, he inhaled a deep breath before alighting furiously with heat and flame. Kids screamed with horror and fear as he erupted. Mightily, he accompanied the display with a childish roar.

"What the fuck? _That kid's on fire_!" the teen next to Law shrieked.

All of them smashed against their cages to escape sure injury or death as the vehicle slowed to a short stop. Sanji righted himself, barely visible within the flames. He shrieked shrilly with pain and horror, acting as if he were burning alive. Kids around him burst into terrified screams and tears, clawing away from him in a panic.

" _Holy fuck_!" Bellamy cried with terror, hands to his face. "Get the water, get the water!"

Law watched as Sanji rolled about dramatically, his cagemate shrilling with terrified screams. Just below the din, Law thought he heard Luffy laughing in amusement.

"He got me good that one time with that, too!" he heard the kid said before being abruptly shut up.

Several men appeared with horrified expressions of their own. Law crouched at the edge of his cage, then forced himself to sound desperate.

" _Bring him to me_! Bring him to me, only I can turn him off!" he cried, hands at his sides. "Bellamy, it's our _bond_! He's going to cook if you don't!"

"Shit, _shit_ , do it, _do it_!" Bellamy bellowed at the others, all of whom were too terrified to do so. With a strike of confidence, Bellamy reached into the cage for Sanji, but drew his hands back as the heat ate at his fingertips. Sanji continued to scream, crying at the same time. Bellamy looked back at Law, then directed his men to open his cage. "Unlock him, bring him close!"

Pensively, Law waited for the panicked crew to follow Bellamy's orders. Sanji dramatically tossed himself out of the opened cage, rolling about on the gravel while Bellamy danced away from him. Kids continued to scream and cry hysterically while Law's cage was opened. He was dragged out – he noticed they didn't react to his lack of restraints.

They practically threw him like a toy near Sanji. Once Sanji realized Law was free, he abruptly powered down, and Law formed a large Room. Bellamy realized the deception too late as Law found and assimilated into the surrounding men, and pulled them apart. Their bodies dropped in pieces while Sanji brushed himself off and sighed over the state of his white shirt.

Rising to his feet, Law searched Bellamy's torso for keys while the man shrilled with horror and dismay at losing parts of his body. Sanji kicked pieces of the fallen men away from the cages as Law stood up with a ring full of keys.

" _About time_!" Ace complained from his cage, watching them with a bored look. Luffy was slobbering at his shoulder while Sabo looked down with worry, Penguin and Shachi crowded around him.

The two bounty hunters nearby were watching with startled expressions. Law was unlocking the kids' cages when he was hit with vertigo so strong that he nearly collapsed against the trailer. Sanji awkwardly caught him, the bigger kids surrounding to help allow Law to sit. Sanji snatched the keys from him while Law sat with a bewildered look, surprised at his sudden weakness.

The kid with the green hair tutted. "You're not a very strong guy," he said gruffly. "You're too skinny. I think you need more protein in your diet."

Law gave him an exasperated look. " _Idiot_. I just performed a feat for others to fear - !"

He gave a strangled noise when chains wrapped around him ferociously, squeezing him out of air. Kids scattered for a safe distance as the other alpha emerged from his cage dramatically. His friend kicked Sanji aside, the kid giving a surprised grunt as his friend marched forward.

Law looked at him with shock, the chains tightening around his arms and neck like a boa constrictor. He could feel his head and neck building with suffocating pressure.

"This is my revenge," the other alpha declared dramatically. He was stripped of his earlier armor and weaponry, wearing only a sleeveless tee stained at the underarms and shredded at the hem. The other had a similar get-up, only his hair hung over his face and shoulders like a living mass. Crossing his surprisingly thin arms over his chest, the redhead looked down at Law with satisfaction. "Nobody can remove those chains. If your friends can save you – "

He fell forward with a surprised choke of sound, clearly attacked from behind while his friend looked startled at the attack. The kid with green hair pulled the teen into a chokehold while his female friend retracted a Taser from the back of the alpha's leg, looking back at the other teen with a threatening expression. She'd retrieved it from one of the men lying on the ground in pieces.

"Listen up, you dumb asses," she commanded, thumb squeezing the Taser's power button and causing it to zap noisily, "if you're done comparing egos, we're going to escape. We don't have that much time. _You_. I will electrocute your buddy to death if you don't allow that idiot up."

The quiet teen grabbed Sanji by his hair and placed him into a chokehold, Sanji strangling with a kick of his legs. Before he could negotiate, he was struck from above by Ace, Luffy and Sabo. The dog pile was messy as they sought to teach the teenager a noisy lesson. Once free, Sanji caught his breath. He shot Nami a cheerful smile.

"You saved me!" he exclaimed happily, clearly ignoring the scramble behind him.

Seeing that one of the other kids had gone about to free everyone else during the confrontation, Law jerked the chains off him with a cough. He rose shakily then had to take a seat. Every part of him felt like jelly, and he didn't understand why.

The girl Tased the redhead once more when he made to attack, his body jerking violently. She ended up electrocuting her friend, who relinquished his hold with a clenched curse.

"Oops," she chuckled. "Sorry, Zoro."

"… _Nami_ …! …I'll…kill you….!"

Penguin snatched the Taser from her while Shachi tried to help Law to his feet. He didn't understand why his legs refused to work, so Shachi lifted him onto his back.

"I'm so tired," Law wheezed, wearing a confused expression as he barely found strength to clasp onto the man.

"Gahhhh! _NO_! Not again!"

Ace walked over to the screaming redhead, who was frustrated by being felled once more. He kicked him in the side then planted his hands on his hips as he was pierced with a glare.

Sabo joined Ace, seeing as Luffy and Sanji had turned the tables on the redhead's friend.

"What's your name, kid?" Ace demanded of the redhead.

"It's Kid, obviously," Law muttered. "He's just a dumbass. Chain him back up. Leave him."

"Let's kill him!"

"Dismember him!"

"Ruin his entire day!"

"Atomic wedgie!"

"Make him smell my socks!"

"Pluck his nose hairs one by one!"

" _No_! Stop!" Kid cried against the kids that cheerily called out their threats. Law noticed that most of the kids were running away, using the distraction to do so. He also noticed that Bellamy and his men were scattered about, trying fruitlessly to put themselves back together. Bellamy himself was watching them with hate blazing in his eyes, trying to attach his feet to his torso.

Wearily, Law muttered, "Lock up Kid and his friend in their cage. Ace, make your dying rabbit noises, and make them loud. Don't give the adults any chance to call for help. Kid, if you want to live," Law added as Ace began making the noises, causing the kids around him to clamp their hands over their ears, "you'll stay in your cage."

"You can't do this to me! You realize this was your mistake coming back to bite you in the ass by letting me go the first time!" Kid snarled at him as Penguin, Zoro and another kid picked him up from the ground. Nami held the Taser, threatening him with it.

"Life experience," Law reasoned, Ace panting for breath before resuming. As that was handled, he looked down at Bellamy. "As for you…let this be a message to Doffy. Neither of us will be returning to that place, ever."

"Doffy will find you," Bellamy vowed. "He might've moved on, but as long as you draw breath, he'll find you both. You better pray I don't survive the night."

Law frowned down at him. Before he could respond, Penguin returned with a tool in hand. Without saying anything, Penguin disposed of the talking head, causing multiple children's faces to drop with absolute horror and alarm. The silence was amazing as Penguin straightened up, looking satisfied as he handled his bloodied tool within both hands.

Law gave him a look of approval. "That solves that. The rest of you, find useful supplies. Ace, I don't hear any predators responding."

"I just…" Ace trailed off, staring at the mess of Bellamy's head. "Okay."

"My lady," Sanji introduced himself to Nami, who looked at him skeptically. He removed his shirt to place around her shoulders, Law watching and wondering where he'd learned _that_ behavior after being surrounded by selfish males most of his entire life. "I will be your escort for the remainder of this time. Pay no attention to anyone else, here. They're all just simple _children_."

"Ah, my only knight in shining armor," she decided flatly. But her dirty fingers tugged the shirt firmly around her stained, threadbare t-shirt with a unicorn on the front.

"I will be in your debt," Sanji told her seriously with a bow. "Because I thought I was near death myself until I saw you, and was revived simply by your astounding beauty!"

"What a moron," Zoro decided, looking at him skeptically. He reached out and swatted Nami as hard as he could against her back, causing her to shriek with surprise. "This is a sturdy and reliable steel post of will and strength. She doesn't need no man's assistance – she is a man herself."

"Don't touch her!" Sanji lunged at him, both of them fighting each other while Nami looked insulted. But Ace sidled up to her, displaying his muscles with a wiggle of his eyebrow. He crooked an arm and pointed this way and that.

"Have you looked in both directions, Nami?" he asked her smoothly, indicating his flexed bicep. "You should _always_ look in both directions before you cross the road."

"What exactly am I looking for?" she asked with that same flat tone.

"My heart." Ace wiggled his eyebrows and she looked away with a roll of her eyes. "Which is…located _here_."

He flexed his chest and abs with such flashy action that it was terribly hard not to notice.

" _Wow_ ," Sabo whispered with mortification.

" _Gross_ ," Law agreed. "Guess Ace isn't gay after all."

"LAW!" Ace bellowed at the older teen with embarrassment while Nami tittered behind one hand.

"I can drop the cage-trailer," Penguin told him, dropping the tool. "I used to drive heavy machinery, sometimes. Trucks like these, too. There's plenty of room for us to use."

"Great idea. Because it looks like we've adopted more," Law added with a lift an eyebrow as he saw Luffy talking excitedly to another boy with curly hair and a long nose. Kid was shouting from inside his cage, vowing revenge. Those that had run off were already gone from sight. Law hoped the best for them.

"We'll find supplies," Penguin then told Law as they headed for the rumbling truck. "Anything and everything we can find. Just sit and rest, boss."

Surprised by the title, Law had to accept that it didn't hurt to hear.

Almost an hour later, the back cab was crammed with kids talking different subjects amongst each other while they made their introductions and learned about each other. Law cradled his sword within the crook of one arm, sitting slumped in one roomy back seat. Penguin, Shachi and Sabo sat in front, excitedly watching the view as the truck. Bellamy had taken some of Law's things along with them – including the treasured map. There was a considerable food supply that was moved into the truck's storage space behind the cab, and they managed to tie a single motorcycle to the suspension, atop of the fifth wheel.

He had Luffy and the others scratch over Doflamingo's crest on the truck's sides and hood, promising to allow them to decorate it with their own design later.

The truck's dash had its own navigational system, and Law trusted the three up front to follow it. As he was sitting there, fighting against sleep, Sanji crept over to him from the cab. The kids' voices were noisy with excitement and cheer, excited shrieks shrilling out from time to time. Out of their view, Sanji slipped his smaller hands into Law's, holding tightly.

"I can _feel_ how tired you are," he whispered to Law with concern. "That magic they used – I heard them say they used a spell on the stronger cages in case they found any alphas and omegas. Bellamy didn't think I had matured, yet. I convinced them to separate us so I could help."

Law nodded to acknowledge this. "Smart move."

"Are you praising me?"

Considering the circumstances, Law had to nod with a tired smile. "Yes. You're pretty smart for a dumb kid."

Sanji beamed up at him, then stood up to hug him tightly around the neck. He pressed noisy kisses against his cheek, then rubbed in his spit with a rub of his nose. The gesture made Law chuckle, made him feel just as affectionate by rubbing his sore forehead back against his. Without thinking, he rubbed his lips in a clumsy kiss against the kid's eyebrows, which made Sanji flush with delight.

Just the scent and weight of him felt revitalizing, giving Law energy he didn't think he needed. It was a physical thing that affected his body, allowing it to grow lighter and expanding with much needed strength. Law was both surprised and alarmed at recognizing this exchange. After a few moments, Sanji pushed up to sit next to him with a yawn, draping an arm over his chest to clench lightly at his opposite shoulder.

Law, despite the feeling of rejuvenation, was too tired to push him away. He hugged him lightly as the kid settled to take a nap. There was a different feeling there between them, something individual and full of substance. He wondered if Sanji were actually healing him in some sense with his physical affection. Considering how their bond allowed shared states, this was a new one to explore. He did recall how the tension seemed to shift when they were actually getting along.

He felt a little more clear headed and stronger in the limbs. He just hated the concept of needing affection from his pair to actually feel healed. Wasn't he the healer? Suddenly self-conscious, he made to push Sanji away before his new friends could see this when Luffy slammed the cab door shut between them. He pressed his face against the window with a cheery smile, peace sign against the glass. Clearly thinking ahead of Law. Luffy then pressed his mouth against the glass and blew into it, heaving noises until Ace knocked him in the head, yelling at him to settle down. The resulting confrontation was noisy.

Law settled back in his seat, holding lightly onto Sanji so he wouldn't fall. Then fell asleep despite his earlier vow not to.


	12. Chapter 12

**: : Twelve**

* * *

Blowing one cheek up, Sanji crouched onto his hands and knees and peered cautiously at the older boy sleeping in front of him. Everyone was stretching their legs by playing on the grass, showing off various feats of strength as introduction. The truck had given a strange rumble and a creaking hiss of air, so Penguin had pulled over and had the hood up. Shachi was assisting him with the tools they'd found in the cab. The truck was pulled over into a meadow, where birds flitted up with alarm and the tall grasses hid clear standing water. It was late afternoon, and it was colder here, the moisture new to encounter. It smelled fresh, like recently fallen rain and Sanji enjoyed the overpowering stench of wet earth and greens. Elk stood at the edge of the meadow, watching the kids cautiously.

Law had stepped out of the truck to give some bossy commands when he simply dropped, so the older guys had made a hasty bed for him out of clothing and blankets from the cab to let him sleep on a nearby knoll. Sanji knew it had to do with the exertion of yesterday's fight against Bellamy and his crew – something to do with his magic. Sometimes, whenever Law pushed himself, he grew tired to where he often slept for hours on end just to regain his energy back. But apparently, yesterday was a limit exceeded.

Sanji delicately nudged one of Law's closed eyelids, and watched his face twitch. Glancing around cautiously to make sure he wouldn't be seen, he then flopped up against the older boy, splaying himself across his chest. Maybe smothering Law in his sleep would ease both of their pain. He stared up at the bright sky, the birds fluttering over his vision calling out noisily. He could feel the shift in Law's breathing with his weight on his chest, and waited for the older boy to get up and react. When he didn't, Sanji threw his legs up and over his head to roll off him from the other side, then leaned over him once more. After some consideration, he pinched his nostrils shut.

"I'm a merciful person," he whispered up against Law's ear as the older boy started to twinge. "You won't ever realize what's happening until it's too late!"

After some moments of seeing Law struggle to breathe, Sanji felt guilty and released him. It amused him when Law opened his mouth to breathe after he did so. But he still didn't still to awaken completely. Worried, Sanji watched him, wondering why this was so different from other times. He reached out with one dirty fingertip and traced the cleft in the older boy's chin. Law was self-conscious of that – Ace kept calling him 'butt-chin'. Without a reaction, Sanji rested his head upon his chest, wearing a nervous expression. What if this was actually it? What if Law had strained his mega brain so hard that he actually broke it?

Sanji listened to the steady beat of Law's heart and felt his brow furrow. He picked at the pieces of grass that were crushed around the blankets and caused them to rain upon the older boy's shoulder. Reaching up, he poked repeatedly at Law's slightly swollen and bruised forehead. He looked around himself with a start, wondering where Law's ever present hat was. He was sure the older boy would freak if his head wasn't covered properly.

"Wake up, shit head," he then murmured quietly. With some reluctance, he added, "I miss you."

When he didn't get a reaction, he rolled over to blow his breath over Law's face and startled into a frightened jolt when he realized Nami was crouched just feet away, watching him. Sanji flamed with color and humiliation, rising to his feet with an unsteady waver and kicking Law in the shoulder to hide his earlier display of feeling.

"So," she began, crossing her arms atop of her knees. Her shorts were yellow, once, but now they were dingy and marred with various stains. Her unicorn shirt was multi-colored at the collar and sleeves, but now matched her shorts. She was also barefoot, her short orange hair hacked with mistreatment just at her ears. Because of her condition, her eyes were overly large for her face while her cheekbones stood out prominently. "I couldn't help but notice a few things around here…"

"We're not married, or anything," Sanji said hastily, hiding his left hand into one pocket.

Nami's light eyebrows lifted with a question she didn't ask. But she cleared her throat delicately, and looked down at Law. " _This_ kid is in charge. Luffy is the baby – Sabo is older, but he often refers to this one as the last say. Ace thinks he's a rebel, but he's clingy. You act like you make your own choices, but you look in this guy's direction for an 'okay'. Those two guys other there talk to him like he's the one that allows everyone to take a shit when he thinks they need to."

Sanji bit his bottom lip with agitation then shrugged as he composed himself. "Yeah, well, this guy's the oldest. He pretty much makes the decision because he's a mastermind of plans."

With a look of skepticism, shadowed eyes searching Sanji's face for clues, Nami asked, "So, is he a bad guy?"

"Depends," Sanji answered, narrowing his eyes. "On if you allow him to be. All he does is yell a lot. We just ignore him. We were going to do the things he said, anyway…it makes him feel special to feel like he's in charge. It's all he's ever had."

"Also," Nami added cautiously, "I noticed your ring finger. You aren't single. This guy is an alpha."

"Wow, Nami, you've got excellent powers of observation! I don't think anyone would have guessed that!" Sanji said hurriedly. Nami gave him a flat expression.

"And he's got the same mark. You're an omega, aren't you? And he's _your_ alpha…"

Sanji bit his lip again. "It doesn't mean anything…both of us make our own choices!"

"I know what those are," Nami continued, sitting down comfortably. After some moments, she said, "My sister…we weren't related by blood, but…she was an omega."

Sanji frowned slightly. "…Was…?"

Nami's expression took on a pensive one. But she nodded heavily. "Was."

She looked at Sanji, then furrowed her brow. "I never seen a male one, before."

Slightly humiliated by the recognition, Sanji dropped to his knees and fiddled with his fingers.

After some moments, Nami murmured, "Both of you are worth a lot of money, you know. My sister…she was sold for…a lot. More than enough to bring relative peace to our village. Pairs are just as valuable. You guys can make another sub gender. My sister never found an alpha to take over. Because of that, she was…"

Nami trailed off, exhaling slow. Her eyes reflected horrors Sanji couldn't imagine, and he couldn't help but look at her with sympathy. "By the display of your powers, you're matured, right?"

Unable to look a girl in the eye, Sanji nodded once.

"When does your heat come?"

He shrugged. He _knew_ , he was keeping track because Law was meticulous about it himself, but he didn't want to divulge those kinds of details with her.

Nami looked from him to Law, then stared at Sanji for a considerable length of time. He felt himself sweat under her assessing stare. He couldn't imagine what she was thinking but her expression spoke volumes – it was the tremble of her lips and the haunt in her eyes that had yet to diminish.

"We're separated," he whispered, answering her question. "When it happens..."

"Then you're untouched."

Sanji blazed with color, finding it difficult to speak when a girl spoke so frankly of a subject Law had always told him to keep quiet about.

Nami frowned pensively. Her own memories were marred with lividity of the subject, and it was difficult to talk about. This omega before her seemed pure and happy – much like how her sister was before she matured. The violence after was what destroyed her earlier memories. She hugged her knees to her chest and stared off into the distance. "My sister was, too. Until she experienced her first heat. Have you ever seen dogs chase after a female in heat, Sanji? That's what it's like. Even for ordinary men. It's disgusting."

Sanji stared down at his hands, feeling the weight of that word. But he also recognized that Nami wasn't being mean – she was merely relaying her own bad memories. Nami's jaw was tense for several seconds before she exhaled harshly, looking at Sanji. "What about the other boys? They don't bother you?"

"They…complain. That I stink."

Nami nodded towards Penguin and Shachi. "Those two over there?"

Because they were brand new to the crew, Sanji wasn't sure of them. He did recall seeing them recoil away from him, uncomfortable to his presence. "Um…we just met them."

"Did you guys live in a barn most of your lives?" Nami asked incredulously. "Those guys over there act like I'm the only girl they've seen in their entire life. They have no manners."

Sanji wasn't sure how much to say to her, fiddling with his fingers nervously.

"And you guys set out to travel in the open, knowing you have heats," Nami added with worry, hugging her knees tightly. "Kids are rare, you know. Girls like me are sold off. Omegas like you, too. Alphas make their own paths. They can take off at any time without attachments because they have power. People can tell when you have heats and they'll be attracted to that. So it might cause trouble along the way. Is that something you're prepared for?"

She then looked to Sanji with resolution as Sanji wore a pensive frown. "If we're gonna survive, you and I need to stick together."

Sanji blinked repeatedly as she held out a fist over Law's prone form, indicating that he make this deal with her. Without any question, he held his out as her dirty face lightened up with a determined grin. Before he could touch her, Law's hand swatted at both of them, and Nami reacting with a terrified shriek, jerking backwards from the older boy. Law looked over at her sleepily but with accusation.

"What nonsense are you talking about, girl?" he asked raspily while Sanji glared at him for the ruined opportunity to touch a girl's hand.

"How much did you overhear?" Nami asked tentatively, looking fearful as she prepared to run.

"Something about sticking together." Law gave her a skeptical look, reaching up to rub lightly at his forehead. He discovered he was missing his hat, but was too tired to look for it. "You're a girl. The only girl here. You don't look like you've matured at all. Too skinny to have menstruated once. No boobs – you sensed that Sanji was an omega, and you're going to convince him that it's you two against the world. Both of you are newborn babies in a pit of hungry animals – what chance do you have together?"

Nami's mouth dropped open with shock as she self-consciously covered her chest with one arm.

"It's a bad idea," he concluded, turning his head the other way then presenting his back to her. "You're a scheming kid. You're not doing it out of the kindness of your heart. You're doing it because you saw an opportunity."

"What does that mean?" she snapped at him while Sanji looked bewildered. Law reached out and punched him in the arm, causing him to hiss.

"And _you're_ too excited to see that this girl is manipulating you. Stupid."

"I'm not stupid!"

"I'm not manipulating him!"

"Whatever. I know a schemer when I see one. You're desperate to make choices that only regard saving yourself. It's not going to work."

At that moment, Sanji remembered Nami's tone changing when she mentioned their worth. He looked at the girl, who looked as if her plans had crumbled right in front of her. Despite the fact that he should've felt betrayed by her potential action, his face lightened up with amusement.

Laughing, Sanji said, "You're pretty smart, Nami! You almost got me good!"

Surprised at his reaction, Nami wasn't sure to say. "You aren't going to kick me out because I tried?"

"Nope. Kids are valuable and rare, right? Nah, we stick together. And you can keep on scheming, if you want," Sanji decided. "Maybe it'll sharpen your brain and make you smarter."

Still suspicious at their seemingly carefree attitude, she tucked her hair behind her ear. "I just want to live a good life."

"That's where we're headed. A good life! To an island – where kids are free to grow up happy and with choices!"

"Sounds like a set-up…"

"Ha ha! I like how suspicious you are!"

Law ' _tch_ ed' with irritation, face twisting with expression as he heard Sanji's entire tone and attitude change. Sanji frowned at him, Nami sitting with a sort of dazed look to her face as she kept her guard up and her observation sharp.

"As far as I'm concerned," Law murmured, folding his hands to create a pillow for his head. Hearing the shouts and shrieks of the other boys in the distance assured him that all was fine. "You're just another slave to my kingdom."

" _Shut up_ ," Sanji told him with exasperation. "None of us are slaves!"

Nami looked worried, forehead furrowing. Law felt he had to drive in a point, sitting up and looking at her sharply while Sanji looked alarmed at the sudden action. Fearfully, Nami watched the older boy, tense as her hands fisted in the grass.

"Now, both of you – shut up. Go away. I'm tired," Law told her. "I want to sleep in peace. And if we get rounded up once again, I'm going to fuck you all up and render you all into pieces and dunk you in water repeatedly until _I'm_ clean. Is this clear?"

Both kids wore tentative expressions before he resettled back onto the temporary bed with a heavy sigh.

"I wish I _were_ a fucking slave master," he mumbled. "Then maybe I'd get some fucking sleep around here."

Sanji rolled his eyes, rising to his feet. He helped Nami to hers. "Let's go see what everyone else is doing. There's no fun here. He sucks it right out of us."

" _Sorry if I'm no fun_!"

After another cautious glance at the older boy, Nami allowed Sanji to lead her away. She had trouble accepting that their relationship, as it were, was not marred like that of which she had been witness to. She wouldn't let her guard down, and she definitely wasn't going to hesitate to seize an opportunity – she was a survivor.

Hours later, the boys were showing the others how to cook their birds and rabbits over the fire. Sanji was busy flicking through the herbs he'd found in the brush around them, and the boys were serving up good stories that made them laugh the hardest while the others looked at them with frozen expressions, unsure of where the humor was. Law was sitting away from them, wrapped in a blanket and trying to stay awake. The older males were leaning up against the truck, quietly observing the scene. The night was cold, and the fire was big enough for all of them to feel the warmth, but the chill was certain to get stronger and suggested a light freeze in the morning.

Sanji glanced over at Law, noting the older boy's struggle. It concerned Sanji that he didn't look so well – he thought that Law should look into the infection, but he'd heard Law mutter to himself earlier that he couldn't conjure any Room just yet. Luffy was telling a tale of how they'd found a nest of giant eagles that tried to feed Sabo to their hatchlings, and the new kids were so immersed in the story that Sanji felt free to sneak around them and sit quietly at Law's side.

"Are you still tired?" he whispered, Law glancing at him with sleep heavy eyes.

"Yeah. But," Law added with some confidence that made his amber eyes gleam, "I bypassed a magic blocking spell. Something that I doubt anyone else could do. The fact that I breached that limit allows me to think that this is fine."

Sanji looked at him skeptically. "Even if you can't use your powers, now?"

"Every time I do this, I get stronger. I don't have any complaints."

Sanji shrugged because it made sense. He continued to crush his herbs with the use of a rounded rock against a flatter one. Law tightened his blanket around him.

"Who are those kids?" he then asked low.

Sanji pointed at them in turn. "Zoro, Ussop and Nami."

"And? I already made a judgement of Nami. What about the other two?"

"Zoro's a kid that was used for slave labor – Ussop, too. They're both pretty strong. Ussop's a marksman! He threw rocks to hit the birds in mid-flight! And Zoro can cut up stuff with his swords. He looks stupid doing it, though," Sanji added with an eye roll. After some aggressive grinding, he said, "Looks like I met my own personal rival. He keeps challenging me."

Law looked at the green haired kid with suspicion, but he felt nothing indicating of another alpha. So Zoro wasn't a threat to him. If it meant Sanji could be distracted from bugging Law, then it was fine. Law had already determined the kid to be yet another idiot for all his comments in the cages.

"They were slaves for most of their lives, they got wicked scars, and they were being transported to another place for work when Bellamy intercepted them. They don't know what alphas and omegas are, they're 12 and 10, and they don't know their parents very well – they've _heard_ of zombies but never seen them. Oh, and they don't know Doflamingo or Vinsmokes and they never met Shanks, either. They didn't know kids could be free. Ussop is a coward and will run away and doesn't like to be hit and Zoro will hit back when he thinks he's got a chance and he doesn't like to be bossed around. He just does it because he wants to," Sanji added with another eye roll, looking revolted.

"And _Nami_!" Sanji trailed off, looking over at the girl with fondness. "She's been through a lot. She doesn't like older boys. She doesn't want to eat, either. She wants to stay skinny for some reason..."

Law glanced over at Nami once more, noting the way she pressed up again Zoro and seemed to close herself off to the others. "It's self-preservation. Get her to eat more. It's for her own good. We're not fucking animals, and she's not allowed to think of us as such."

"Are you giving me permission to fall in love with her?" Sanji whispered, eyes big with hope.

Law gave him a look of condescension. "What _ever_."

"My own _girlfriend_!" Sanji then whispered with excitement. "I read all the books, I know what I have to do with one!"

"…What kind of books?" Law asked, wearing a startled expression. He was pretty sure he'd taken all suggestive reading material into his personal hiding places to make sure they didn't corrupt their idiotic minds – and so he wouldn't have to be the one to give them any type of Talk.

"Mostly the young adult section, where the girls are pining after beautiful boys and manly men!"

Law shook his head, then struggled not to laugh. ' _Beautiful boys_ ', he thought.

"Ga _ayyy_. Yeah, _okay_ , you do that. But understand this – Nami isn't going to open up to you just because you're the same age. From the sounds of it, she's terrified of dick. And you've got one."

"…But I haven't used it, yet…?"

"And you never will. You're my omega, so you're not allowed to."

Sanji gave him an insulted look after a few seconds, the information sinking in. He reddened and threw the rock at the older boy, who avoided it easily while snickering.

"God, you're dumb. Sometimes you do something that's only slightly impressive then do something stupid like this." After a few moments, Law added bitterly, "we don't get a choice to fall in love with other people."

"Or is that just something _you_ say because _you_ don't want to?"

Law gestured at him to go to Nami. "Go ahead. Woo her to your heart's content. Then come back and tell me what that feels like."

Sanji stared at him stubbornly, sitting back on his heels. He looked over at Nami, crossing his arms over his chest. He stubbornly imagined a life with her – growing up together, falling in love just like the books had described. But the feeling inside of him that hoped for a _normal_ romance felt foreign and weighty – the scene faded away like a clip from the books he read, distant and imaginative.

"Get used to disappointment," Law muttered, reading his expression correctly. "It happens a lot."

Sanji scowled down at his herbs, the fragrance tickling his nose. The kids laughed uproariously to Ace's disclaimer to Luffy's story, starting an argument that Sabo had to interfere with.

"So, just because we were forced to marry, we can't even fall in love with other people…we _have_ to fall in love with each other."

Law wore such a revolted expression that Sanji matched it. "I don't think we _have_ to…it's just a duty," Law stressed. He looked at Sanji from the corner of his eye, and Sanji did the same. Neither of them could imagine thinking of each other in that way. Both of them recoiled away from each other.

Sanji then sighed noisily, searching for a suitable rock. When he didn't find one, he resettled to sit comfortably, looking at the work he'd already completed. Law grumpily tightened his blanket around himself, glancing over at the girl that giggled behind one bony hand.

"She's going to grow up ugly, anyway," he muttered. Sanji slammed his rock down and rose up to face him directly, Law looking at him with a bored expression. Pressing his forehead against his, Sanji snarled, "Take that back."

" _Make_ me."

Sanji gripped the blanket tightly around Law's neck and twisted, jerking backward. Giving an awkward noise as he fell back, Law struggled to get loose while Sanji tried to strangle him. Law reached out and pulled on Sanji's bang so hard that the boy lost his grip and balance, and Law rolled him away. He coughed noisily for air while Sanji rubbed at his scalp tenderly. Standing up shakily, Law assessed his strength while Sanji glared up at him from the ground.

"Amuse me with your efforts," Law then told him, snickering as he slowly made his way off to the darkness to find somewhere for some restroom privacy. Sanji sullenly rolled onto his feet and meandered to the others, abandoning his herbs.

"What was that about?" Zoro asked him, feathers sticking to the corner of one mouth.

"None of your damn business. It was talk between men."

"All I saw was hair pulling and angry looks. I think men have better battles elsewhere."

"Shut up, you!" Sanji looked self-consciously at the others, then sullenly fell silent once he saw Nami looking at him.

The next morning, while the boys took off hunting, Law looked over his map and the compass. The truck needed more repair than Penguin could give, and the man looked guilty about it. Nami had decided to stay behind, but she placed herself atop of the truck's hood to give herself some safe space from the others; Sanji had volunteered to stay behind to give her company so he sat with her, transferring his herbs into a baggie he'd found in the cab. She watched the three pour over a thick book of maps, seemingly not saying a word to each other.

The men seemed clumsy and slow around Law – waiting on his every word. When Law chose to speak, she noticed that it was whole focus on the subject and nothing more. The older teen was still a kid, she determined. Tall, gangly and physically weaker than the boys combined and compared to the two men with him. He still had a round face but his eyes were heavily shadowed – he also showed signs of impatience and agitation, which told Nami he wasn't entirely in control of his feelings. But he also showed no interest to anyone or anything other than himself; he didn't give the boys his sympathy when they fought amongst each other, he called her a hag for questioning his body odor, and he often shot them all angry looks if they all grew rowdy. But he administered agreeable orders – for the boys to watch over each other, to hunt for food, for Sanji to watch what he was incinerating for even cooking, to find useable camping supplies from the truck. He also directed the two men into contributing what they could and explained himself patiently when questioned.

So, it seemed like Law was leader for a reason – it astounded her that someone so young could keep a group in line while also seeming like he cared nothing about them. The boys called him names and complained that he was mean but they were all surprisingly self-sufficient when he was around. Nami wondered where they were going and why Law felt this was his responsibility. She felt suspicious that he was driving them to a slave market or had some type of agenda for himself to benefit, but the boys kept talking about this fabled island that promised them school and opportunity.

As Law pointed off to the direction they were going to take, deciding on the fastest route to the sea, she looked to Sanji.

"Who is Shanks?"

"The Pied Piper," he said carefully. "He finds kids and takes them to a good place to grow up."

"What's a 'pied piper'?"

Sanji looked at her with excitement, then told her about the fairytale. She noticed he held back on details because he kept scrubbing up his tale with backtracking to make it appear that this was a good fairytale.

"It has medicine we need," he added. "So…we won't be in trouble all the time."

"Medicine…"

"That's the main reason," Sanji finished. "But we have to find a way to get there."

"Why doesn't Shanks find us and take us?"

Sanji shrugged. "We haven't seen him in years…"

"He could've been lying to you all."

"No. We had…good people back it up. But…they disappeared, too."

Nami gave him an impatient look. "Blindly believing in something that you've never seen yourself doesn't mean it exists."

"It does," Sanji said with confidence. "Because I always get good feelings about people, and I believe in myself. Law and I came from the same place – he doesn't have any ulterior motives, Nami. He wants that medicine more than I do because he wants to go to school and get away from me."

Nami's eyes dropped to his hands, but they were busy. "This Doflamingo…it sounds like he's trying to catch up. He sounds like a terrible person."

Sanji's hands stuttered over his actions, so Nami watched him closely. "He won't find us in time," Sanji mumbled. "Me and Law are supposed to belong to him but…neither of us like him. Being away from him gave us a lot than he ever did. He's a bad man. He did this to us. Him and my…dad. His brother actually did a lot to save us, but…he's gone."

"Maybe he was working with _his_ brother to set you up."

"We were on our own for three years, Nami. We'll be fine."

"But Bellamy talked to Doflamingo on a long-range phone. So he knows you're around. He's going to come look for you and find all of us."

"Which is why we need to move fast." Sanji reassured her with a gentle pat on the shoulder, hearing her fear building up in her tone. "Don't worry, Nami, I won't let anything happen to you. Just stick with me, and you'll be fine."

"I know what adults can do to kids, Sanji. I watched them do it. They were waiting for me to catch up…" Nami trailed off, then looked down at her bare feet. "I don't want to go back there. I don't want to be in that situation anymore."

"You won't," Sanji promised her.

"There's too much darkness in the world. I don't know if you really know it."

Sanji exhaled slowly, furrowing his eyebrows with concentration. He knew people could disappear and he knew that adults were harmful towards children – but he'd seen some good that influenced his world view. He wasn't sure how to feel the way Nami did, but her insistence on it spoke volumes. He was grateful he was spared her point of view because of the situations he found himself in.

He looked to his mate. Law irritated the shit out of him with his moods, but he'd changed considerably from the rotten boy that had used to torture Sanji with his words and presence. He took effort to separate them to prevent anything terrible from happening when Sanji was in the midst of one of his heats and he always made sure Sanji was safe. He made sure _all_ the boys were safe. Coming from Spider Miles, where they lived in relative comfort and spoils, they'd grown to be who they were today and could not complain about the horrors that the other three had.

Sanji realized he was lucky. _They_ were lucky. Law could have been worse – he could've turned into a smaller version of Doflamingo, but he always took care not to. The realization weighed heavily on him at that moment.

"Trust me, Nami," he said slowly. It was all he could say, the depth of his feelings at that moment nearly suffocating. He swallowed tightly.

Sometime later, he left her side to seize advantage of Law's distraction with his sword. Penguin and Shachi had ambled off to go monitor the younger kids, and the three of them were left behind. The meadow was quietly active with various wildlife, and Nami was enraptured by the sight of birds of prey overlooking the smaller birds flittering about. She chewed slowly on pieces of fruit Sanji had found earlier, her face reflecting the bitterness of them moments later.

"I didn't see any zombie cages on those trucks, yesterday," Sanji announced as he ambled over to the older boy's side. Law paused in mid-reflection on his sword and reviewed his own memories of the incident.

"I counted exactly seven men in that group. One each driving a vehicle. One of which was a coach."

"Carrying their supplies."

"What happened to that vehicle?"

"It crashed with a guy inside." Sanji noticed Law's worried furrow, and he couldn't help but feel new agitation building inside of him at the sight. Law was with Doflamingo longer than Sanji – Sanji had only noticed things as a child, without fully understanding them. Law was older, but he was able to see and understand more. So Sanji found himself relying on Law's word regarding Doflamingo's actions and whatever memory he had that wasn't corrupted by Law's own selfishness.

"At the village, where we met the boys," Law murmured, eyes flicking about as he touched his chin, "those vehicles that day….a convoy. It wasn't meant to look threatening, but the zombies had emerged into the village via that subway system. Which means they had parked their zombie cages further down that mountain road to access it. They hadn't gone through the point we'd touched, that day. They'd come in further. The noise we made must have attracted their attention - !"

Law exhaled heavily, starting to pace back and forth along a trail of his own making. Sanji followed, listening to every word.

"Which meant Doflamingo was completely comfortable knowing the area. He'd set the zombies out regardless if he'd found any word of us. Toppling however many villages he'd come across. Looking for children, looking for us. That's his MO. Corazon spoke about that. Building a rep…" Law trailed off, then clenched his sword with both hands, lengthening his pace and having Sanji basically jog to keep up with him. Law stopped short, looking off to the side. "That's how he found me. He didn't know if I were capable of being an alpha at that time, but us particular creatures tend to be exponentially stronger than a normal human…the fact that he found me after destroying Flevence…he _knew_. That's how he finds us.

"The only reason why he hadn't found us all these years…the land of the dead. Zombies couldn't detect life within their short range abilities. We were far enough within to escape their notice, plus we'd crossed rivers, where territories were spread out too far for him to investigate individually. Too much time and effort. Bellamy's convoy was one of these things, but he didn't have a zombie transport vehicle with him, which suggests he was only hitting on the road targets. A long time ago, Doffy traveled outside the walls for days at a time. That day we left, he'd been gone for two weeks. He was catching up on his sleep when we left. That's when Corazon made his move. Bellamy was a _scout_. He alerted Doflamingo to our presence here, but long range phones don't exceed any further than a hundred miles..."

Apprehensively, Law glanced around them then back at the truck. Sanji began to grow agitated at hearing his suddenly quick breath.

"Call the boys back," Law directed him. "We've got to move the rest of the distance on foot, away from the roads. Quickly!"

Sanji jerked around, and pressed his fingers to his lips, releasing a high pitched whistle that rang out through the area. Law rushed back to the truck, snatching at everything he could find while Nami looked at him with worry.

"What's going on?" Nami asked him, growing worried as she noticed a new attitude to the boy.

"Get off there, get this backpack on, and you and Sanji start heading in _that_ direction," Law told her, pointing off to the right. She hesitated, unsure of what to think or do as he gathered up the book of maps and his compass. Quickly, he ran a charcoal pencil on the route he'd chosen earlier, jabbing at it.

"Can you read?" he asked her while Sanji whistled noisily once more. An answering one caught his ear while Nami nodded, then gave a verbal consent. "Take this map. Follow it. You can read books, you can read a map. Follow this compass."

" _Why_? Why, what's happening?"

"Girl, _hurry up_! There's no time for either of us to linger, answering questions - !"

Apprehensively, Law scanned the meadow. He noticed the elk munching on greens at the far end, and it sounded like an undisturbed setting. Nami slowly crawled down from the truck, watching him cautiously as she took the book. Sanji hurried over, looking worried.

Looking at him, Law battled his ever growing feelings of apprehension. He wasn't sure if he was creating his own urgency and panic, or if Sanji's was amplifying his worry by feeling worried himself. But the sensation that crawled over his skin was also desperation.

"Sanji," he said, feeling slightly breathless, "tell them to go west."

" _Why_ \- ?"

"Do it!"

Sanji licked his lips and shifted the tone of his whistle. After a few moments came an answer, Sabo responding with a confirmation. The boys had come up with a series of alerts they made with their whistles that had come in handy from time to time. Because Law hadn't bothered with the system himself – thinking himself above their childish warnings – he could only depend on the kids to talk to each other in this way.

"Add a warning to avoid this area. Sneak. I know you guys can, because you do that trying to avoid me," Law added, Sanji looking at him with bewilderment, but adding three short, sharp whistles that Sabo confirmed with one of his own. Once he was sure the message was received, Law slowly bent down in front of him.

"Tell Sabo," he said slowly, reaching out to place a hand atop of Sanji's head while the kid looked at him with urgency, "to keep the kids moving to the sea shore. Find a boat."

"You're going with us, _you_ can do that," Sanji said, a little panicked while Nami watched from the side, clutching the book to her chest.

"Tell Sabo he's in charge. Tell Penguin he's the backup, now. I'm going to make sure Doflamingo doesn't find you guys by finding him first."

"….you can't stay away from me, and I can't stay away from you!"

"Sabo and I have talked about this plenty of times. He knows what to do, he's second oldest. You come looking for me…" Law trailed off, looking to the elk. He noticed that they were looking in a direction opposite of where the boys had answered from and swallowed tightly before looking at Sanji resolutely. His fingers tightened over his head. "And you'll be giving him exactly what he wants. We don't want that, do we?"

Sanji shook his head, wearing an expression of shock.

"As long as we're alive, the bond can't be broken," Law told him slowly. "He can't use you to breed, and he can't use me. _Biology_. But if I go to him as an alpha, he can find my abilities useful. He'll attempt to use me to track you down, which is _imperative_ that you find those suppressants."

"Law… _no_ …" Sanji realized what he was saying, eyes rounding with shock. "I can't do it. _I can't_ \- ! I keep escaping to go to you, I'll - !"

"Nami," Law then said, looking at her. "What do they do to omegas without an alpha?"

"…terrible things," Nami whispered, uncertain of what was happening, but insistent on answering as much as she could as she realized this was a pivotal moment.

"You two stick together," Law told her directly. "He can protect you. You protect him. Is that understood?"

Nami couldn't answer but Sanji realized why this was happening. Law looked at him, then gripped his face with both hands. His palms were sweaty and his arms were shaking with building anxiety at the thought of the separation. But all he could see was Doflamingo succeeding, and he couldn't protect his omega if they were together. The thought of being away from him hurt equally.

He felt like he had a lot of things to say, but none of them seemed practical. After several moments of consideration, looking the tearful kid in the face, he said, "Come find me when you're not a stupid kid. Alright? When you're stronger."

"Why do people keep _abandoning_ me?" Sanji replied tearfully, big tears slithering down his cheeks. " _Why do people keep leaving me behind_ \- ?"

Law couldn't answer that, and he didn't have time to. But his expression reflected similarly, and it built up within his gut and chest. Impulsively, he kissed his forehead then hugged him tightly. Clinging to whatever he could for the moment, memorizing him as he was right now. Sanji clung to him tightly, fingers digging into his back.

"I don't know what will happen, but what _will_ happen is that he won't win," he insisted, hearing his voice shake. "Prove to me that you're not a stupid kid, alright? Prove to me that you can do something I can be impressed by!"

" _NO_!"

The elk took off in a hurried flight, the sound of their hooves hitting the ground catching their attention. Birds took off with startled cries, and Law realized he could hear other sounds than that. People running through the trees.

"What is that?" Nami cried, startled as she looked in that direction.

Law squeezed his eyes shut and then forced Sanji away from him. Pushed him to move. "Go. _GO_! GOOOOOO!"

Sanji stared up at him with shock, then looked over to where the rising pants of people moving fast became steadily louder. He looked to Nami, then at Law again. With a slight nod, chin trembling, he turned and snatched her hand. Nami ran with him, holding onto the book of maps tightly.

Law watched them run towards the direction he'd indicated earlier. The truck was positioned in a way that the pair would be hidden from sight if any of the living was watching. He watched Sanji look back once and then they were out of his sight, moving down a cresting hill.

Stunned with his decision, Law realized why Corazon did what he did years ago. The overwhelming feeling of freeing someone was a tremendous release of weight in his chest. He was certain he wouldn't start feeling the separation for some time, but it would be enough to cause distance. He could trust Sabo to make the right decisions, as Sabo had been his right hand in controlling the kids. Even if their time was short, he trusted that Penguin would trust his decision, too. He hoped for it to work out. The group was strong as a group, and the boys were trustworthy.

It would be _okay_.

Glancing once more in the direction the two younger kids had taken, Law gripped his sword resolutely within one hand. His entire body felt numb and had suddenly stiffened. The discovering screams of the zombies howled out over the meadow, and snapped him out of it. Quickly, he jogged around the truck to catch their attention. Sure enough, the group made a beeline towards him, and Law waited for the last possible second for their approach before climbing atop of the hood. Once there, he lifted a hand to attempt to form a Room – his magic refused to work, still depleted from the day before.

He unsheathed his sword just enough to allow the iron to slice through the skin of his forearm, spilling blood over the truck's grill and hood. The group, fevered by the smell, instantly swarmed the vehicle with howls and screams, slamming against the immovable object. Law caught himself, breathing tightly as he stared down at their ruined faces. He lifted his eyes as he caught movement in the distance, in time to see men wearing Doflamingo's colors emerging into view. The man himself was among the group, walking with that familiar gait.

After all this time apart, Law heard himself exhale a strangely vulnerable sound at the sight of him.

Several shots in succession dropped the swarm that had built up around the truck, allowing the living to approach in relative comfort. The convoy crept into view minutes later, engines rumbling softly. One of the trucks, similar to the one that had transported them a day before, pulled into view. Because of the design, he recognized a few of the kids that had escaped from yesterday sitting inside those small cages.

He looked to Doflamingo, wiping his arm against his jeans.

" _Law_ ," Doflamingo greeted cheerily, his mouth spread in a grin. He looked older, Law noticed, looking down at him. More wrinkles around his mouth and eyes, his skin slightly bloated from too much alcohol consumption. His pink feathered coat looked different from the one he used to wear – adjusted for the cold.

"You're miles away from home," Law replied tersely.

"Same could be said for you. Where have you been all these years?"

It took several moments for Law to reply. "Free."

Doflamingo gave him a puzzled look, hands in his pockets as his men spread out away from them, investigating the area. They noticed the campfire but not much else. Because Law had told them to clean up, there was basically no sign of the group.

"Free? What does that mean?" Doflamingo asked, furrowing his brow. "You don't look that healthy, so perhaps it's been hard on you."

Law swallowed again. "I've been training my abilities. Searching for new education wherever I went. You kept denying me school."

"Where's Sanji? I haven't seen that little scamp in quite a while. Still with that awful hairstyle?" Doflamingo asked, looking around.

Law was still for several moments before he answered, "Bellamy had bounty hunters in his convoy. I was…in pursuit. Kids are valuable, you know. Alphas and omegas sell for quite a lot on some invisible market. You're interrupting my search."

Doflamingo chuckled, shaking his head. "Your abilities must not be that strong if you're unable to locate your bonded omega. I'm sure with time, we can find him together."

"I've spent most of this life trying to get away from him and your disgusting responsibility of us. This pursuit isn't that quite important. I've been waiting for him to get killed so I can wander away to pursue my own ideals."

"You know that's impossible," Doflamingo tutted. "Alphas and omegas are bound to each other, and attracted like magnets if apart. Neither of you could kill each other on purpose."

"But if there were suppressants available, it'd make it easier."

"Is that what you were looking for?"

"Why didn't you tell me of them, Doffy?"

"Why would I subject you children to questionable experimental drugs that have been proven to cause disabilities or death? That's only a fable, a fairy tale! Something spread amongst you breeders to inspire hope. _Of course_ I didn't bring it up," he added with a scoff, "because nature allowed you to be what you were, and humans can't fuck up what nature intended. They can try, but with horrendous results…questionable chemicals mixed together with the hope of some – "

"In all my travels," Law interrupted tersely, "I've read a lot. And back in the day, they'd refer you as an anti-vaxxer."

"You always had a way with insults. Now…how far ahead were these bounty hunters? I'm sure they aren't that far ahead."

Law thinned his lips. Aware that Law had fallen silent, Doflamingo looked up at him, determining his expression. He looked to the others. "Fan out. Search the area. He wasn't alone."

The men took off, and Law's heart thundered nosily in his chest. Doflamingo indicated for him to get down from the truck.

"Come, now. You look hungry. Want something to eat?"

Law stared down at him with trepidation, then said quietly, "I'm famished, thank you."


	13. Chapter 13

**: : Thirteen**

* * *

In the light of the early morning, the hint of the rising sun hitting the color faded curtains, the unsettling feeling of a raw hole in the world blazed with painful and maddening heat throughout his entire body. But instead of feeling energized, his very cells seemed to throb with accusing emptiness; as if his body was reminding him that it was _his_ fault it was suffering. The stifling feeling of craving just one person's whole presence and attention had turned into a suffocating ache of physical need – his entire body and soul cried because every part of him was missing a particular piece that he absolutely could not find in someone else. Near similar to missing a limb, or perhaps an identity; he didn't quite feel himself without being complete.

He sat up stiffly, feeling years older. His mind buzzed with wordless thoughts, and it made his eyes ache. The inevitable migraine that would explode to the surface was his only warning that, for the countless time since his maturation, his heat would cry uselessly for something that wasn't there. His suppressants weren't strong enough to stifle these overwhelming feelings; none of it could suppress the constant ache and litany that was now part of his very soul.

 _I need my mate, I need my mate, I_ need _my mate_ …

His left hand trembled as he drew it to his eyes, noting the scarred, shredded skin that had left white ridges and signs of long ago reattachment to his hand.

Years ago, in the midst of his madness, Sanji had cut off his left ring finger and pinky because he couldn't stand the powerful feelings of need and abandonment. It had happened suddenly and without thought – he was in the kitchen, prepping when the suppressants had finally worn off and he wanted that finger, with its scarred symbol _gone_.

It had caused quite a commotion at that time.

A talented surgeon had reattached it, but now, the fingers were stiff and near unusable. His head throbbed mightily, causing involuntary tears to build and release. Pressing his hand against his eyes, he waited for the roar to subside enough for him to rip the blankets away from him. Every part of him felt at least eighty years old. His mind made enough static noise to feel like he couldn't connect to any other thing. He felt useless and unworthy, empty and rejected. He reached for the pills nearby, and chewed and dry swallowed a few of them – hoping they'd kick in faster without any liquid in the way.

He told himself that he felt this way because his alpha was _still alive_ somewhere, far beyond his reach. This was the only reason behind it. Managing to shift to the edge of the bed, Sanji stiffened.

 _I need my mate, I need my mate, I need my mate_ …

Beyond all the suffocating weight of his agony, all Sanji could truly think about was killing Law as soon as they met.

 _Any day now_ , he reasoned himself, his breathing growing harsh with anticipation. _I will_ kill _him before he could say anything._

He reached back and pulled his hair over his face, breathing in steadily. Smoke, sea and sweat clung to the strands. The world would be an absolute terrible place if only omegas could feel this way when their alphas abandoned them.

 _Not abandoned_ , he corrected himself. Then stubbornly corrected himself again. _Abandoned. He was older. Always made the decisions. Always with the final say. Mini-Doffy_.

He pushed up from his bed, body cracking and popping noisily. Hand to his back as he hunched, he braced himself against the wall, breathing shallowly. What would life be like if he was like the other omegas?

He took that back immediately. Seeing them react in the throes of their heat, both seeking and disregarding their own sanity for the sake of physical relief, instilled such maddening sympathy and grateful relief in him. Those unbonded omegas had a special safe place on the island they were shipped to to avoid contact with others, with specialized counselors on scene to help them through it. His was their first experimental case – they didn't have much information on abandoned omegas. Despite the sanctity of the island, alphas and omegas were rare – independent studies on various scenarios was rarer to obtain simply because not enough was known.

 _Surely Law knew he was relying on outdated information at that time_ , Sanji thought, reaching for the door. He remembered the knob was gone, kicked in a fit of rage to keep himself from leaving the place to find satisfaction that would not scratch the ever present itch. His physical satisfaction with sharing his body with others did nothing to ease the ever present pain of needing just one man's presence. Sanji was absolutely sure, without any doubt, that this was it.

Because it had been years since he'd last seen the older boy, and out of all those memories, he absolutely could NOT imagine hooking up with the man as his body and soul demanded. The very thought made him sick and humiliated at the same time. All he had left were memories of a _child_ , and his soul was confused with the fact that his mind was not cooperating in the same fashion. Whenever he ventured into that place, picturing the man as the teen Sanji knew him as, he gave a shudder because it had been _years_ and he was virtually imagining a _child_.

Despite the fact that he was now two years older than Law's age at that time.

He pressed against the door with another one of his exhales. He'd checked himself into a specially prepared room for the duration of his heat because it was the only way he could clutch onto what was left of his pride. The static in his head grew stronger. None of it words or images, just a constantly static appearance of sound. His body craved only one touch he just could not imagine and the conundrum was absolutely awful. Because his imagination couldn't go that far, and his body was confused. He'd scratch himself with desperation or rub against stationary objects like a large animal seeking a scratching post and shred at his skin in an attempt to ease that craving.

The touch of other people would feel relieving at first, his mind convincing him that this was _okay_ and necessary and good but a bonded omega had a frustrating reaction to the actual act – his body rejected another's performance, as if desperately trying to wash away the filth that didn't belong there.

It was humiliating spending hours in the bathroom to relieve this rejection. It didn't leave a good impression on his potential partners, either. He didn't want to think about the hours he would have to spend after getting fluids intravenously because that was quick a blow to his pride as a strong man.

He was _nuts_. Insane. Mentally unsound.

 _I need my mate, I need my mate, I_ need _my mate_ …

He wondered if Law had been treated to the same type of madness. Maybe for an alpha, whose role was giving, he had probably already figured out how to dissect and rearrange biology and impregnated the entire coast with his rotten children just to satisfy his own urges to procreate. Sanji would have no way of knowing; meanwhile, he was literally wasting away because he wasn't getting attention.

Creating a fist with his right hand, Sanji growled low. He would _kill_ him. And this time, he would succeed.

Sometime later, there was a short rap on the door and it opened with a loud creak with the gentle assistance of a smiling nurse that greeted him cheerily before allowing his visitor in. Sanji looked over from the corner of his room, sullenly noting that the lights in the hall signaled evening. He had been sitting near the window, scratching at himself and regretting the action as his skin flamed with irritation. Every exposed part of him was welted and irritated, stinging with abuse. He was wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt with a vest that did nothing to protect him against his own scratching.

Nami peered in cautiously then swept in, shutting the door behind her. Everything was fire-resistant. Right down to the blankets and the ugly curtains. Sanji often burst into flame without control or knowing he had – part of his uncontrollable reaction to his lack of a mate. Other omegas were learning to control their individual abilities with success and here he was, erupting at the feel of a cold breeze.

"Hi," she said brightly, flicking her long hair over her shoulder. She'd yanked on a fire-resistant suit that pretty much covered her from neck to toe, clomping in on oversized boots. It would provide no protection to her if her head was free, but Nami wasn't about to don an entire fire suit just to visit with her friend. "How we doing today?"

"I feel like chopping someone's head off," Sanji muttered, trying to muster a smile but finding his mouth too tight. He scratched hard at his neck, then closed his fingers with irritation. The suppressants he'd taken earlier allowed him to move about but he was incredibly drowsy. His body was restless as a result, and continued moving despite the urge to sleep. It contributed to his mania, which was a horrible side effect of something that was supposed to _suppress_ his urges.

 _I need my mate, I need my mate, I_ need _my mate…_

"Not mine, I hope. I'm too cute to die," Nami told him, sitting on the floor next to him with a handful of papers. Sanji had to agree with her – she had blossomed into a beautiful young lady, full of confidence and scary determination. Life here allowed her to grow brave. She reminded him of his sister, sometimes – Reiju had been blooming with Nami's personality before she matured. The love Sanji felt for Nami felt overwhelming in that sense.

She inhaled deeply, pressing her hand to her chest. "Wow. That is such a _sexy_ smell you've got going on. It's a combination of everything you'd think sex should smell like."

 _I_ need _my mate_

Sanji sniffed himself, unable to catch the scent himself. He was sure he smelled everything else but, considering how he sequestered himself into this room without a pressing need for self-care.

"I want to bottle it and sell it – pheromones, that's what Chopper calls them, right? Shooting off those pheromones all over the island, it's no wonder most shops are closed right now. Sending all these people into an uncomfortable fit knowing you're available. Think of the money I could make off you – I'd allow you thirty percent of it. We'd be _swimming_ in riches…but of course you're so selfish, you keep it all to yourself," she added with a disappointed sigh while Sanji fought his amused smile.

None of their male friends could stand it – all his life with them, they complained that he stunk. They avoided him at this time, and Sanji couldn't be more grateful.

She unrolled and spread out three topography maps in front of them, along with a newspaper that she unfolded and held within her hands. Sanji noticed that the markings were different on the map from the last time he'd seen them, and he glanced at the carefully written dates – territories Doflamingo had lorded over had diminished significantly throughout the years. Others were growing bolder, growing in spite of his efforts. The Vinsmoke territory was scratched out, and Sanji felt relief that he felt nothing in that. There were more black circles that dictated a startling presence on the coast closest to them. The dates were recent.

Something like hope softly penetrated the static before being forcefully overwhelmed by his equally as strong hate.

_I need my mate_

"According to Pelican News," she said, clearing her throat, "at least ten more men have been found in a gruesome mess. No witnesses. The case continues but because there is no _law_ in that god awful shit hole, we'll never know who it is."

"I _know_ who it is," Sanji retorted sharply, feeling slight regret in it. After a few moments, he muttered, "The pictures of these guys…?"

Nami smiled at him. "They all look almost similar to you, hon. It's safe to say both of you have gone mad, but _hey_! Think about it this way - despite his efforts to kill any hint of you on his end, he shows his everlasting love and affection this way."

"Your dark humor has turned more dark than humorous."

"What can you do?" she sighed, scratching at her head as she looked the article over. "They're desecrated so badly that no one can tell what exactly has been done to them. We should at least be happy they aren't blond children…they're all capable blond men around your age."

Scratching his ear, Sanji muttered, "I should feel so flattered…my alpha turns to murder and mayhem just to settle his own feelings. If he has any. This is just a biological need to reproduce and he can't. Any animal goes crazy if they're denied to pass on their genes."

"So _funny_. You two were designed by nature to have children and when you can't, you both turn to murder to make up for it," Nami murmured, looking at the drawn pictures printed on the page.

Sanji shook his head with sullen action, clasping his hands together. _I need my mate, I need my mate, I_ need _my mate_..

"We'd always threatened to kill each other to free ourselves. This is as close as it gets."

"By the way, Shanks says thanks," Nami murmured, flipping the page. "Those men you _did_ kill were unnecessary to the island. Drifters."

"…Who could have been useful once they learned a trade or two. I took the lives of innocent people."

"Who actually _knows_ if they were innocent?" Nami mused, glancing at him. "Not everyone that attempts to come here is a good person. And those people _he's_ killing – they're probably bad, too. Sanji, you told me to trust you a long time ago – you told me to trust your opinion of him. We can joke whatever we want about his behavior now, but he probably killed those men because they fit some description of his that probably isn't for the reason we think. Doflamingo is blond, too, right?"

Sanji tightened his jaw. In the static of his thoughts, he'd killed those men for selfish reasons. His mind wasn't very clear on his own reason _why_. _I need my mate_

Nami fluttered the pages. "The next boat back to that shithole is three weeks from now."

Sanji stared at his hands, watching them shake. His reattached fingers refused to bend with the others. "The room I requested?"

"Denied. Shanks thinks you'll sink the whole thing combusting the way you do."

"Then I'd like my own ship to travel."

"Ussop said he's working on it. Down at the lagoon? It's _hard_ hiding a thing that size in a cave, give him a break."

"How can Shanks deny me this reason?" Sanji then asked, looking at her. "He knows why I need to get back, why does he think he can make all the decisions around here?"

"It's not for you," Nami told him patiently. "We would be going, too. It's for _our_ safety, Sanji. You can't help yourself – you just blow up whenever the wind blows and nothing's safe. You sink us halfway there, the sharks will finish us off. Do think about us, okay? I don't wanna be barbecued at this tender age. I've got money to make and old men to rob blind. How can I do that when you're thinking only of yourself and anxious to get to one man's dick?"

Sanji worked his jaw from side to side. He liked the way she spoke to him. Frankly, yet lightly enough to know that it was never personal. He struggled to repress a grin.

"Not funny," he muttered anyway, shoulders shaking as she flipped through the pages. She then set it aside, rising to her feet. Withdrawing a brush from her suit pocket, she stood directly behind him to brush the tangles out of his hair. The length stretched over his back once more- flayed at the ends, and slightly sun bleached. He'd grown his hair again, not understanding why – he didn't look like a girl, this time. His features were too masculine.

"You need to take care of yourself," Nami said with a sigh. "You run into him looking like this mess, what's he going to think?"

"He's not going to think anything. I'm killing him as soon as I see him."

Nami snorted, rolling her eyes as hard as she could. Sanji furrowed his brow, insulted by something he couldn't see but sense. "Oh, puhhhhleeeassseee!"

"Nami, we were children back then. Nothing more than that, and neither of us had any romantic aspirations," he insisted. "Just a stupid duty to fulfill. Biology."

"But don't you think it'd be easier for both of you if you just…shaved? Attempted to look cute?"

Sanji rolled his eyes. He recalled telling Law a long time ago he refused to look 'good' for him when Law had suggested it as a mockery. If Sanji attempted to 'look good', it was because it was _his_ choice. And right now, in the height of his heat, he did not look any good at all. He was surprised he still had skin left to show.

_I need my mate, I need my mate, I need my mate…_

"God, you think he looks worse? I bet he looks funky," Nami continued, jerking her brush through some tangles while Sanji winced. "Covered in acne. Sloppy. _Fat_. Kids that were skinny back then are fat when they grow to be adults."

"You're so catty."

"Bet he smells, too. Like sour dick."

"NAMI."

_I need my mate, I need my mate, I need my mate I need him_

"…Not that I'd know what _that_ smells like, but being surrounded by those barnyard animals out there across the island, I have a great idea of it." She then jerked his head to look at his face, causing him to wince once more as his head tilted back. "What if he's hot as hell?"

"I can't….that's so _gay_ ," Sanji finished on a whisper. _I need my mate_ …!

Nami barked out an unattractive laugh. She jerked his head around and he braced himself against the floor. Wiping her eyes she finished brushing his hair then sat down beside him, looking at him with a pointed expression. Sanji looked away from her sheepishly.

"I can't think of him like that," he stuttered nervously. "We were kids. Nothing…there was nothing…in me that I could…think that would make him, or this situation, _romantic_ …"

"Well, always have it in the back of your mind that it could help if you prettied yourself up. Might make things easier."

"FOR WHOM."

_I need my mate, I need my mate_

She laughed again, unintentionally snorting at the same time. "I'm just saying, it'd help if he were hot when you guys started banging."

Sanji sighed noisily, wiping at his face. "I don't know, I never thought of it that way, and I'd rather not to…"

He trailed off suddenly while Nami snickered. Something inside of him shivered with a presence that felt faint, growing with warmth he hadn't felt in a long time. Dread, dismay and feelings of revulsion curled around his chest and stomach – it was an instinctive omega's fear of predators looking in their direction.

_I need my mate!_

"Nami," he then said, the tone of his voice causing Nami to grow serious. "That boat. The one that's supposed to come in. When…?"

"A few days. They're caught in a storm, they should be here a day after schedule. Why?"

"I…I don't know…I think…something's coming."

Nami lifted her feet, slapping her hands on the floor as she did so. "I'll tell the others!"

"No. Tell Shanks. Have him immobilize a stronger security force here at the station. It's a different type of fear."

"Luffy said that's your ESPN at work. He never doubted it."

Sanji didn't want to talk about that, but his lips twisted in a snarl. I NEED MY MATE!

Nami gestured at the maps she left. "I have copies. Look them over, plot your dream vacation. He's moving around pretty sporadically, but he's getting closer to the coast."

Sanji glanced at them. "I know that guy. He's still waiting for me to go to him. He won't come here."

"You guys are adults, now. Going mad," Nami added pointedly.

"He'd never give in first."

"You guys are _pathetic_. I want to root for you but I also want to bang your head against the wall because you're so fucking stubborn. Fight nature all you want, but eventually it creates its own inevitable choice."

She then knocked on the door, and headed out without a goodbye. After it closed behind her, Sanji furrowed his brow, investigating this bad sensation in his chest. There were feelings of anxiety in it that felt a little strange but familiar. Like anticipating a test he knew he was going to fail.

: :

The fabled land of opportunity was a massive island located off the coast, navigable only with the most confident of navigators. There were pillars of rock and floating, monstrous trees with curling roots that captured ships miles before they could approach. But the beaches were beautiful, the hills covered with green and sheer cliff sides, and the atmosphere was like that of a long ago city – peaceful and prosperous. Children were shipped here for safety, for education, for a peace of mind. The adults that lingered were with good intentions and strength that lost children needed. There were centers for both alphas and omegas to reside, and a successful economy built around trade. There was a single school for all ages under adult levels – impacting children who had never read, wrote or even seen the inside of a classroom. Nurturing and encouraging, most children grew up here feeling their value.

Some left the island to chase adventure and revenge – others lingered to pass on the opportunities they were given. It truly was the land that Shanks had spoken about years ago.

It was he who had come upon the group after their escape from Doflamingo. A month after leaving Law behind, they were on the only transport ship from the main island, safe and secure. Sanji had a reason to look at Shanks with distrust, despite his own expression of relief, surprise and awe that he'd run into the kids again. He couldn't warm up to the man, no matter how hard Shanks tried to appeal to him. As far as Sanji was concerned, to this day, it was Shanks' fault that they were separated.

Instead of growing up like the other kids by exploring their surroundings and engaging into new activities with other children, he was periodically stuck into a room designed to contain him, not control him. In spite of his intentions as a child, he turned out to be a hostile person who couldn't get along well with others.

There were contributing factors that made him unsociable – slicing off his fingers, aggressively challenging well intentioned men, fighting his friends, crying for attention, rebelling against given rules, not being understood and thus challenging any that spoke to him, killing passengers that slipped onto the island undocumented, combusting at random and destroying single neighborhoods…he had a rather long list of grievances that made him a troublesome kid, but because he was an omega with an array of undocumented information that could be appreciated in helping others like him, his case made him valuable fodder. The suppressants that he used monthly were designed for him; experimental drugs that worked for the other omegas without bonds, but a hit or miss with his situation. They usually left him feeling incredibly drowsy, but barely reacted upon his aggression.

His doctor, Chopper, told him his aggression was probably the result of being an unprotected omega; it was a self-defense tactic to protect himself while his alpha was away. _Of course_ , the small monster added rather fearfully, aggressive animals attacked anything and everything that looked at them funny. They based their opinions of Sanji's alpha off of Sanji's current state – if he was feeling a certain way, then Law was feeling a combination of others attributed to it. They fed off each other – even at a distance. It was hypothesized that if they should ever meet again, they would destroy the entire island with their aggression.

Sanji was absolutely positive Chopper was over exaggerating. Law was mean and high strung as a kid, but surely years away from Sanji allowed Law to grow more calmer, calculating and in control of himself. He was always a perfectionist. Sanji couldn't imagine what Law lived through since he stayed behind but he thought that if Law was still alive – then he was _fine_.

He looked up as the door opened, Chopper peering in cautiously. The miniature monster rang all of Sanji's inner craving for cute things – which included every baby of any life form on this island (with the exception of insects). Babies drove him crazy in such a way he absolutely could not control himself. It was rather mortifying.

So despite his hostile and dangerous state, Sanji stood up with a squeal of joy, gesturing at Chopper to come to him. And the reindeer monster, childlike himself, ran and jumped into his arms with an answering squeal of his own.

"You are so _cute_ , today!" Sanji exclaimed, in a voice that had to belong to a stranger. He squished and squeezed the monster to his chest, hearing his suffocating grunt. "Look at you in _your little outfit_! So coordinated, _so fucking adorable_ , I think I'm going to cry! I want to gnaw on your furry little cheeks and squish you to death!"

"You idiot!" Chopper returned, flushing with pleasure. As a monster, he was never referred to as 'cute', before. "Killing me would be bad!"

"I can't contain myself!" Sanji wiggled with utter delight, tossing him high over his head. Chopper laughed with joy, flailing his limbs. _I want one! I WANT ONE WHERE IS MY MATE_

The room erupted with fire and heat at that moment, alighting over both of them for a few seconds before dying out. Chopper hit Sanji's waiting arms with a cough, unaffected but his fur was singed in a couple of places.

Both of them stood in awkward silence before Sanji carefully put him down.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, but unable to resist reaching out and squeezing one of Chopper's furry cheeks, face flushed with continued pleasure. "You're so _soft_ , today! Look at you, playing grown up in your little grown up clothes and doctor thingy! Ahhh, I could just _devour_ you whole!"

Chopper coughed again and quickly composed himself. He was dressed in a specially tailored white jacket and a blue shirt that belonged to a small child. His stethoscope dangled around his furry neck. His antlers were decorated with cutesy Band-Aids that enthralled most of the omegas that looked at him like he were a stuffed animal combination baby that they couldn't help but react to. He was in the right profession – and overworked as a result.

"I've come to check on you, Sanji," he said gravely, and Sanji clapped with unrestrained joy, dancing from foot to foot.

" _Ahhhhhh_ I can't get over how _professional_ you sound! I'm _dying_ at the sight of how your fur bushes up around your damn collar!"

_I want one!_

Chopper squealed in response as Sanji roughly stroked his neck, directly over the area he'd described. Briefly forgetting his earlier intention, Chopper lost himself in the baby talk praise and frenzied petting of his head, ears and had his hooves gnawed on like they were baby hands. Flames erupted around them once more before dying just as quickly, and Sanji hastily backed away while Chopper coughed and brushed himself off.

" _Enough_ of the admiration!" he boomed mightily – as well as he could, standing at three feet tall, looking up at Sanji with eyes that were unnaturally rounded and spiked with impressive eyelashes. Sanji pressed his hand to his mouth and turned away with a cry of over feeling. "This is your first day! Are there any discomforts you must disclose to me?"

"Even your _voice_ drives a spike through me, reminding me that I'd like to hear baby talk of my own making!" Sanji heaved, sweating profusely as he pressed his hands against the small of his back. Then he made a face, uncertain of exactly what he was saying. Chopper drove him senseless with some inane instinct to have a child of his own, and that was exactly what drove him crazy.

Before Chopper could attempt to dissect that comment, Sanji dropped to the floor in a dejected pose and he cringed as the man gave a mournful sound.

"But I don't wanna child…!" Sanji wheezed. "I _want_ …! I _need_ …!"

_Where is he…? I want one!_

Chopper cleared his throat once more. "Well, um…it seems like you're physically okay, but I noticed Nami went in immediate search of Shanks after she left your room. You had a warning for this place to be immobilized – can you expand on that? Your sensory perception for anticipating danger has been proven time and time again to be rather exceptional!"

"I don't even know _what_ I'm feeling," Sanji answered, sniffling with one hand pressed against his stomach, where it felt the most empty. "All I know is that I feel something is wrong, something is coming…"

"Sanji," Chopper said sternly, hooves on his hips, "if you should happen to investigate these feelings any further, perhaps it's a warning that your own mate is nearby."

" _I will kill him if so_!" Sanji roared, shoulders alighting with flames as he looked at Chopper with his own sinister feelings. Chopper squealed and quickly backed up to the door with fright. "Besides, I'm not entirely sure…my head is too fuzzy."

"Well, what does your heart say?"

" _KILL HIM_!" _I want - !_

"Oh…and your…reproductive areas?"

"MANGLE! DESTROY!" _I need - !_

"I think," Chopper continued thoughtfully, hoof against his face with contemplation, "that this inflated emotion of yours is telling. The ship that brings in cargo from the main land often doesn't catch every traveler it carries. Proof being that you're there to look at every one of them – "

"Not to look for _him_!"

 _I want my mate_ …!

"Or maybe it's Luffy and the others you sense!"

Sanji snarled fiercely once more, and Chopper yelped as he crouched against the door. "I'll kill him, too! Who knew that little fucker would turn into an alpha, himself? All these years, and he _suddenly decides to be one_ \- !"

Chopper tried not to think of it that way. Luffy had been a considerably late bloomer for an alpha. On that fateful day, the group of friends were sitting around the table eating a peaceable dinner and suddenly he was smelling Sanji with a different sort of intention that took all of Luffy's brothers, Zoro, Ussop, Franky and Jinbe considerable monstrous efforts to separate them. Near indestructible, stubborn, strong and with rubber abilities, Luffy had gone off the deep end by vowing to make Sanji _his_ omega and destroying Law without recognizing who he was threatening to end. It was rather traumatic for all of them. He was such an aggressive hugger.

Chopper was terrified but he could never get over how Zoro laughed himself into injury at the end of it. Nami couldn't talk about it without her face twitching and Sanji flared into a rage at the mention.

So Ace decided they needed to pursue adventure and the group had set off months ago to look for it. Luffy sent letters of apology, but Chopper had seen those letters. Luffy wasn't apologetic at all.

'HEART HEART I'm sorry, Sanji,' one read, 'but I couldn't find him this time. HEART So, wait for me.'

'Sabo said to apologize, but I'm not apologizing for something I know in my heart HEART is the right thing to do. Or maybe my dick, I don't know. They're both the same. HEART HEART TIMES INFINITY.'

'Hopefully our children have your looks, because I caught sight of myself the other day, and no ruler could get the accuracy done right. haha! HEART.'

Chopper grit his teeth and bit his tongue so no expression of humor could escape him. He found it utterly hilarious and pathetic that Luffy couldn't draw a heart so he wrote it instead.

"It only happened because you aren't entirely bonded," he then whispered tightly. "That's all it is. Once the bond is complete – "

" _It won't ever_. And look at you, talking in your big boy voice - !"

"FOCUS, ASSHOLE! _Ahem_. As I was saying, you'd said the bond between you and your pair isn't complete. So…I was thinking," Chopper then said hastily as Sanji glowed over his demands, looking at Chopper like a baby taking their first clumsy steps, "if Ussop finishes his project, finding your mate should be easy. You can't actually kill him, I'm sorry, but you can complete the bond or allow Luffy to do so. Pretty sure we know how that's going to end…"

"I don't want none of those things! I want what I want!" Sanji insisted fiercely. But he scratched at himself with a renewed frenzy, looking irritated as he did so while leaving that sentence unfinished. Chopper sighed, reaching into his jacket pocket and retrieving a glass bottle.

"Here. For your scratches…"

"I just think _this_ place should be protected," Sanji murmured, taking the bottle and opening it to rub the contents on his irritated hands and forearms. "And because of that, yes, there's an alpha coming. It's too hard to know who. This…stupid…mood…these suppressants only make me feel shitty atop of the other shit I feel. Miss Nami said it'll take a few days to get here – they've encountered a storm."

"Our own weatherologist knows her weather!" Chopper looked hesitant, but he added, "It might be that you sense your own alpha if you feel discomfort because _he_ feels discomfort."

"I feel murderous with you saying that, so perhaps not."

"Aggression does weird things. Can cloud your mind."

Sanji sighed noisily, and sat down gingerly on his bed. "Well…good news is by the time they get here, my heat should be over with."

"It's good that you're thinking positive! Oh, and your boss sends this," Chopper then added, withdrawing a folded letter from his other pocket. He waited for Sanji to take it and read it – the omega burned the letter to a crisp with an enraged snarl and Chopper winced.

"Tell that old man if he sends me yet another pregnancy care food list, I will _end_ his life. _With my teeth_."

"I'll tell Zeff you miss him, too!" Chopper said cheerily. "It'll be _fine_ , Sanji! This island is protected with incredibly powerful measures! But, um… _do_ think about Nami's advice, give it a little more consideration."

Sanji watched him knock on the door, giving the monster a puzzled look. After Chopper was gone, he reached back and fiddled with his long hair, giving it an anxious combing with his shaking fingers. Rising to his feet, he looked out the window, noting the dark clouds in the horizon.

: :

The island was beautiful – something delivered right out of a fairy tale, captured by a talented artist's hand. The towering green trees, the pleasant warmth, the pure beauty of the surrounding waters – so entirely different from the main land's darkness and shadowed spaces. The surrounding rock pillars and floating trees added to this picture with its own eco-system – animals he'd never seen before called out to each other and to the massive cargo ship whose sails fluttered tightly against the mast.

_I want my pair._

For days, his breath was caught in his throat. Every part of him was particularly antsy, and every little thing set him off like an explosion. He must've radiated some form of nastiness from him because everyone avoided looking at him during the near month travel. He kept to himself in the dark, dank recesses of the cargo areas, minutely ghosting by passing patrols. It was startling how lax and lazy the workers were when they were prying for stowaways. He was dying to make an example out of all of them and take control of the entire vessel. The only thing that kept him from doing so was that he had no control over the damn water.

_I want my pair._

It was difficult to breathe, catching imaginary hints of his omega's scent. It was imaginary because the distance between them was so massive – but he could remember it. And he was hungry for it. Every part of him was hungry, and not in the traditional sense – it was absolute hell keeping himself reined in, to not explode with murderous intention on anyone that drifted by him. All this aggression and want cramped his muscles and kept his heart pumping at a feverish rate – similar to that of a distressed state. His body was strummed tight and ready to crack.

He'd planned for this, trained for it – if he gave any indication that the island should be alarmed at his arrival, all of those years would be for nothing. Shanks had warned him that this island protected and nurtured precious children, sheltered omegas. In order to save life, measures were taken against those with ill intentions, and he would not underestimate a single step.

His fingers tightened possessively around the sheath of his sword, causing it to protest with a slight crack. His fingers were tattooed, now, every one of them scarred by his own destruction. He, too, had been driven mad by the distance caused by the separation, but without his own suppressants to rely on for some form of relief, his condition was managed by his own stubborn will and aggressive action. There was plenty to release it on on mainland – plenty of men to kill, plenty of steam to release in action.

But it seemed to have worsened because the closer he got to the island, the less control he felt he had over himself.

_I want my pair…!_

Law planned to kill Sanji for making him wait all these years. He couldn't wait to get that neck under his hands, couldn't wait to carve up his stupid face and decorate his entire body with every drop of substance he had.

Sanji was always trying to kill him. He almost succeeded. Law would make him pay for that.


	14. Chapter 14

**: : Fourteen**

* * *

Every day that slipped by without Sanji had been one of the worst days of his life. Never in a romantic sense – not in the sense that distorted Law's memory of him to change Sanji into someone Law couldn't imagine. But in a sense where he felt like he'd lost a limb, or lost a family member; the world just didn't feel _right_ if Sanji wasn't there.

Despite the loss of Sanji, Doflamingo found Law useful. And without too much agitation or a fight, Law slipped back into the role he was prepping for. Not that he wanted to – it was self-preservation. He was careful with his words and careful about his intentions because Doflamingo would know and would use that.

While Doflamingo waged war against various bounty hunters, obviously searching for Law's other half, Law's pheromones, emerging as an alpha's aggression, seemed to shift tones. He grew attractive because alphas wanted perfection and he did what he could to be perfect. He grew aggressive because he was surrounded by hostility and he grew mean _because_ his feelings of failure and anxiety with his missing omega twisted everything else in him. It was overwhelming in a sense that a continuous battle against basic instinct overrode his ability to think rationally and reasonably. So it was easy to take it out on others, at Doflamingo's urging.

Because he'd grown alluring, it was easy to attract bedmates but none of them were fulfilling in any manner. It didn't soothe a thing but built up into resentment and anger because none of them were his _mate_. His skin broke out into a wild rash that left him scratching for hours, bewildered to the cause of irritation centered mainly in his private areas and around his mouth. He eventually realized it was the mixture of body fluids that caused his skin to reject the mess, as if purging him of his mistake and making _him_ pay for it. His own fluids affected him and his partner at the time, emerging as a strong allergic reaction that was humiliating. As he grew older, his skin would flare with irritation if someone _touched_ him; that single area would rage like a wildfire of heat and bumps that earned Doflamingo's herpes jokes.

Surprisingly, it made Law physically sick and impotent if he took the same bedmate more than once; as if nature was cockblocking him. It was also humiliating to use self-pleasure and break out in a tale-telling rash if he did so; the fact that he couldn't _do it_ if it wasn't his mate was simply unfair. He had the vague hope that this affected Sanji similarly. He felt envious of other unbonded alphas that used their sexuality to dominate helpless others in their conquests, but it was also disgusting how they allowed that to rule themselves; they were rabid animals and he was not.

Every aspect of his discomfort was directed with building anger towards Sanji. Law knew he told him not to come back until he "wasn't a stupid kid", but it felt like his omega had taken the chance to escape him. They were bonded, they were _supposed_ to be together. Time and separation had caused him to regret his childish determination to ignore instinct to act individually because now that he was at this position in life, there was no possible chance to evade _it_.

Deep down, he knew it was a good thing Sanji was gone, but his pleasure and focus towards excelling himself was dimmed because Sanji _wasn't there_. His instinct was so concentrated on the fact that Sanji was gone that Law couldn't focus on being himself and accomplishing his ideals. But he also had a façade to maintain around Doflamingo so Doflamingo wouldn't get the exact details of Sanji's possible location; it was still so easy and expand on the lie around Sanji's circumstances because he was still, _essentially_ , protecting his mate against an aggressive and unbonded alpha.

In the atmosphere of violence, challenges and antagonism, Law hadn't realized it then when he was just a _child_ but physical touch and expression of affection, as little as he'd had back then, was important. He remembered how annoyed he was with Sanji's expressions of affection while in his heat and couldn't help but feel that he needed that now. Any little bit of it – he didn't care if the kid had grown up to be an ugly motherfucker, he just _craved_ that particular ugly motherfucker's simple touch. It was maddening how much he was willing to endure just for a damn pat on the head, or something. Law couldn't exactly imagine _what_. At his age and experience, he knew it had to do with more than simple touches but he could not imagine sharing a bed with someone he knew as a fucking kid. He could not imagine Sanji in any other way.

But he needed that physical affection. He was positive Sanji needed it more. He was also positive that he'd dismember the man to pieces for making him feel this way.

He was irrational. Unreasonable. Pent-up. _Lonely_.

 _I need my pair I need my pair_ had become a constant litany at the back of his mind. It was all he could think of. If he wasn't careful, he'd say it out loud.

Eventually, Doflamingo's territorial disputes with everyone around him blew up in his face. The Vinsmokes lost their alliance when Doflamingo had to confess he'd lost their prince, and the people Doflamingo had hurt had risen up to fight against him. In the aftermath, Law took advantage of the chaos and slipped away from the fallen heavenly demon. Doflamingo had lost everything and did not need the two children he'd paid for. Law was positive Doflamingo had no other use for them, now – his kingdom was gone.

Despite all this, Law wasn't exactly alone.

Penguin and Shachi had caught up to him a couple years after their disappearance, entering Spider Miles as slaves one of Doflamingo's groups had gathered up. They let him know that they'd found the island, and gave him all the useful information Law felt he needed to know.

And yet…Law held back. Because it still caused him to feel sickened because if Sanji hadn't made his way to him just yet, he was _still just a stupid kid_.

But the longer the separation, the madder he became. When he encountered blond men who were around Sanji's age, he couldn't stop himself from provoking and attacking them. It helped when they provoked right back. He could release his steam this way by imagining each and every one of them was the blond he was looking for.

Sanji was always trying to kill him. So it made sense he would _deliberately_ withhold himself away from Law, forcing him to change and mutate to become near unrecognizable; therefore, it made sense to kill _him_ for this _atrocity_.

But after a few days on the unknown sea, something very small and trivial caused all these terrible instincts to fade abruptly to allow him something new to feel.

A baby.

He'd thought it was a small mammal, a strange sort of pet someone brought on board. The mother was protected by a group of normal men and women that kept a firm guard around her. Law had never seen a baby, before. It had struck him dumb to realize this. But once he caught sight of it, something inside of him burned and snapped like a growing fire.

 _I want one_ …!

The litany he'd always heard changed suddenly, and it, for that moment, cleared the angry static from his head.

 _I want one_!

 _This was Sanji's want_ , Law told himself, unable to look away from the baby being held up by the smiling mother. This was _Sanji's_ instinct…! Not his. Because he wanted to kill his pair, not perform a duty.

Hearing this sudden change in his head was so incredibly foreign that it stilled the rage burning inside of him like a calming blanket. The silence caused by acknowledging this thought was startling. His life had taken a tumble and he hated himself for it afterward. When the mother realized she was being watched, she drew her child back to her chest and sought comfort from her partner. Law then made sure to avoid that part of the ship, but sometimes on quiet nights, he could hear the baby crying and it prickled at his own instincts so strongly that it was all he could do to restrain himself from doing… _something_ …

He reinforced his feelings towards Sanji with renewed effort. Those long ago feelings of possession that Law had once felt towards his omega returned with a vengeance. He was going to make that shithead _pay_ for what he did.

: :

Penguin had advised Law to board the island after it dropped off its passengers. Sneak in from the unloading docks and make his way towards the east. They would meet him then to show him where to go from there. They had registered themselves under different names and changed their appearance so they wouldn't be recognized by those that had known them before their leave.

They'd told him that Sanji was undergoing a different sort of omega counseling to control his actions and instincts because his were raging differently from the other omegas'. He was a point of interest for the island's study programs – despite his crimes, which sounded similar to Law's fits, he was used as a study. They were surprisingly vague on the whereabouts of the others, but Law wasn't planning on meeting them.

He just wanted his omega. That was his only reasoning for his appearance.

He wanted to _kill_ his omega. But he had no problem killing them, too, if they got into his way.

Two hours after the passengers disembarked and the ship pulled around to the west side of the surprisingly large island, he took advantage of his abilities to teleport in fast and discreetly to bypass the security sector. Animals reacted within his presence, but only in submissive manners. He was radiating too much aggression for them to attempt any interference, and it was ironic that animals responded so well to his instinct.

The roads were bright and well maintained; a huge difference from those he'd worked on within the mainland. They were outfitted with bricks and mortar, and felt welcoming to every traveler that used it. Years of feeling tense and on edge against certain attacks while traveling left him unable to relax. After a few miles of walking, he started to encounter some of the population. The islanders were very friendly and young – it was astounding how many young people were living here. He could hear children's voices almost everywhere. It filled him with a bitter regret that he hadn't been given the same opportunity to finish the last of his teenage years here.

Dressed in a long sleeve hooded cape with fashionably designed animal print jeans over weathered boots that gave him another inch to his already towering height, Law was quite aware that he stood out. Attention drew to him like moths to a bright light. His pride welcomed it. He _wanted_ people to see that he was something to look upon, to admire and fear. He wasn't a gangly, uncoordinated kid, anymore. He could carry heavy packs on his back for a long distance and could go without food if he had to. He was built to withstand physical trauma – he was certain he could live no other way. His sword he carried in one hand – it was absolutely part of him, now, just as his magic required his hands. He had learned to use it as an extension of his hands.

But he was also aware that he didn't fit in with the island's passengers and atmosphere, so he strayed off the main roads and traveled through the hilly terrain, watching the compass dial on his wrist cuff. He came to a Y in the road that allowed him to overlook the main coast – where the cargo ship dropped off the passengers first. The surrounding sprawl of homes, farms and what looked like multi-story buildings earned him an expression of awe. It was just like the pictures in the books – depicting simpler times, where rules were made and followed; where it wasn't man for himself. The different smells in the air told him there was plenty of food, and physical hunger made itself known in the form of a weak gurgle that he clapped a hand over to stifle.

A part of him thought _What If I Could_ …?

A bigger part of him rejected that concept. He was determined to get rid of the omega. As he turned to start walking once more, something in the wind captured his attention.

All his senses rung like he'd been electrocuted. It zapped his blood, energized his tired cells and caused his eyes to dilate painfully. This smell… _he knew it_. It was faintly different, tinged with something foreign but it was his. It was Sanji's. Every part of him pulled in that direction, causing him to shift away from the east and move hastily up the hilly terrain like zombies were at his heels. He could see more facilities in the distance, built into the wall of rocky cliff faces – clearly blocked off to the public with high walls and barbwire. He could feel a change in his body produce a new explosion of heightened testosterone. He couldn't wait to accomplish his goal – he was irrational to anything else.

The roar of sound became apparent moments later, before Law realized that it was coming from behind him. He turned to see a powerful ball of flame moving up towards his direction, eating up everything in its path and the smell was gone as abruptly as it had appeared. Then he absolutely realized that this _ball of flame_ was coming straight at him.

He teleported out of the way and withdrew his sword, forming his Room. The monstrous tunnel of destructive energy absolutely flambéed everything in its path – leaving behind a blackened trail of smoking ash. Unsure of where it came from, Law glanced about until a shadow fell over him.

He darted backward just in time as Sanji's bare foot crashed down into the spot where he was just standing, creating a sizeable crater as he landed. Law was absolutely flabbergasted because his pair, whom he came here distinctively to kill, had tried to _kill_ him _again_.

Then he realized that this furious faced man who possessed a very familiar mop of long hair and ridiculous eyebrows – who looked _nothing_ like the men Law had killed in his fits of rage – was the kid he was married to. This was his mate. His pair. His omega. And his destructive power had almost _killed_ him.

Rage filtered through Law as he shot at him, dropping his heavy canvas pack to the ground.

"YOU _SHIT_!" he bellowed, feeling absolutely blinded by fury as Sanji's face matched his expression. They slammed into each other with seemingly matching strength as Sanji grabbed his wrists to direct his hands elsewhere while using all his bodyweight and energy to knock Law backwards. Law head-butted him and jerked his wrists out of his grip – before he had a chance to move, they both collided against a ridge of rock. Their momentum sent them both tumbling over that, cartwheeling down the side of the mountain before being tossed head over heels. They slammed into trees, roots and various rocky obstacles before landing with hard crunches down into a valley lined with flowered shrubs. Heads ringing, both of them wore dazed expressions as their trail lightly rattled with upset tree branches, dust and crumbling rocks that followed after them.

But each of them were on their feet moments later, Sanji striking mainly with his feet as Law made to take him apart from the inside out. His hands curled and jerked but each time he made to pull, one of Sanji's feet would kick that hand aside and force him back. Having lost his sword in the fall, Law whirled around Sanji's attack and blasted him with an elbow across the face. Sanji stumbled, but grabbed a handful of dirt to throw it at him, obscuring his vision for a brief moment. Law teleported backward to create space, jerking up with his right and pushing with his left. Sanji was in mid-motion to kick his head from his shoulders when something just – _stopped_.

Law's magic slammed against an unmovable force that felt bigger than any magic blocker he'd encountered, and Sanji's foot missed him by scant inches.

Not giving it any thought, they reset themselves and Sanji was kicking an entire boulder at his face while Law sent a boulder from ground level up at him. Each of them were hit at the same time, knocked senselessly away from each other in a dramatic smattering of shattering rock. They hit the ground at nearly the same time. Scrambling back to their feet, Sanji wiped blood from his nose and Law spit his to the side. Glaring fiercely at each other, Law then caught him with his telekinesis, holding him in place – somehow, Sanji kicked a wide oval up and over his head, and suddenly Law lost his footing, breath knocked from his chest by the sting of some invisible impact. He held Sanji in place as he stumbled.

Flaring into a mighty ball of flame and heat, Sanji roared wordlessly. The area around him burned and shriveled to absolute blackened ash, the blast forcing Law to drop him and cover his face. Sanji shot towards him with his leg up to launch a teeping kick and Law jumped towards him with a wild slash of his arm, intending on halving him.

But once again, his magic hit a wall he couldn't see and Sanji's right foot missed his chest by inches as Law somehow tripped over something in his path. They sailed past each other, skidding in the dirt. Their heads whipped around to glare murderously at each other, recognizing that their second attempt at slaughter was not successful.

Law yanked surrounding trees from the ground and flung them at the blond. Sanji easily leapt over them, sprinted the length of the uprooted trunks and shot at him with a roundhouse. Law caught his ankle and whipped him through the air to throw him when Sanji's other foot connected directly with his shoulder. They were flung away from each other once more – Law slamming up against the cliff side with a grunt and Sanji crashing head over heels into the dirt.

With frustration, Law slapped the cliff side with both hands, leaving hand prints behind while Sanji nimbly flipped back to his feet. With the distance, Law knew there was one thing he could do. Gritting his teeth, he ate up the space between them, not giving Sanji a chance to set himself. His palm connected over Sanji's left breast, intending on retrieving his heart moments later – but that _block_ happened once more, and he ended up just slamming a shove full force into Sanji, sending him flying backwards several yards.

Sanji kicked a foot down, which sunk and braced against the dirt, preventing him from moving any further.

Panting, Law started to realize something significant. Sanji started to look just as shocked.

 _Neither of them could actually kill each other_.

The silence grew thick as this horror registered. Out of their range, the sound of falling trees and upset terrain trembled down around them. There were alarmed shouts in the distance, but too far away to be of any worry. This moment's break allowed them both their first formal look at their pair after so many years.

Sanji was not a child, anymore. But he was still considerably younger than Law. Despite the fact that the island was crawling with health and it looked like there was no shortage of food, the man looked as ill as Law saw himself. Shadowed eyes, a grimly held mouth and a noticeable tremor in his limbs caused by heavy exertion and a lack of nutrition suggested he didn't have any stamina for battle like Law did. But his face had strengthened in the jaw, cheeks and forehead; he was tall, but much shorter than Law. Skinny everywhere, like a gangly dope. His hair had darkened slightly but was tied back in a loose ponytail – still covering one side of his face regardless. Wearing loose capris and a t-shirt that almost looked like it had bloodstains on it; barefoot, Law then noticed with some unease.

Law was a _man_ , now, Sanji realized. There was nothing about him that indicated he was the teenager that forced him to run away. Every part of him was angles and anger, and the man's hands had some sort of tattooing to them that Sanji didn't linger upon. His dark blue hair was cut in an undercut style, allowing most of the top to droop rather stylishly over his forehead. His eyes looked meaner, shadowed with insomnia; he had a thick yet groomed goatee, earrings and – _damn_ , this one killed Sanji's pride as a man himself – the man was impossibly attractive despite all his hard edges. He was built in the chest and shoulders, he had legs that went on forever and yet he still had that habit of hunching his shoulders; like he was trying to make himself smaller. His voice was deeper and more gravelly – Sanji bet _that_ had an effect on people.

Both of them were in too much of a rage to notice anything that could affect their personal feelings. Law noticed that the smell coming from Sanji signaled he was in his heat, but the scent only seemed to fuel his rage; Sanji could sense his pheromones, but it pissed him off instead of allowing his own to react positively. Neither of them could calm down enough to think rationally. Years of pent up anger and frustration prevented any sort of admiration or relief – they still just wanted to kill each other.

Nothing else was said before the ground underneath Sanji's feet suddenly sank as he tensed himself to launch, and Law curled his tattooed fingers into fists. With angry growls, they launched at each other, eating up the distance with fire in their eyes and death on their mind. The air around them seemed to sizzle and snap as their hormones went into overdrive, filling them with absolute need for vengeance – blind, deaf and oblivious to anything else but the man in front of them.

"Both of you, _stop_!" a voice snarled at them both from above, moments before two monstrous hands reached down to slam into the ground, causing a distinct rumble that sent them flying a few feet in the air before toppling into the dirt. Chopper, in Monster Point form, towered over them suddenly. The sight of him terrified them both; Sanji had never known Chopper could change, and Law because he'd never heard a monster _talk_.

Chopper's roar built and released into near deafening quality over the entire island. It echoed out over the waters surrounding them, and sent animals scurrying for their lives. The sound quality alone rattled their equilibrium and scattered their earlier intentions, causing them to clamp their hands over their ears in an effort to reduce the strength. Blocking out the sun with his monstrous form, Chopper looked down at them both, heavy shadowed eyes moving from one to the other.

" _You can't kill each other_ ," he rumbled, his voice frighteningly distonal and powerful as he suddenly shrank back to his normal form. He coughed, and politely dusted himself off once he caught their attention. Both of them gaped at him, frozen in mid-propping movement. "But you can destroy this entire fucking island, so knock it off. Look at the mess you've already made!"

Indignantly, he placed his hooves to his hips.

Despite their raging tension and fury, he noticed that both of them sat up straight in near synchronized movement. Despite having tried to kill each other, just seeing Chopper in his normal form caused both of their expressions to noticeably brighten up and change drastically from earlier.

" _Ew_ , _gross_ ," he whispered to himself with absolute revulsion. Sanji was his usual gleeful self, hands waving about with excitement but Law looked like he'd just seen the cutest thing he could ever see in his life. His scary expression turned from murderous to delight in about 2.5 seconds, Chopper counted.

" _Ahhhh_!" Sanji squealed, kicking his feet against the dirt with rising excitement. "You can get so big! So _menacing_! What a big boy!"

Law exhaled harshly, struggling and failing to hold himself in as he braced himself atop of his hands and knees. His face flushed with such a delighted blush that it looked absolutely frightening. Chopper's ears dropped and pressed backward as his short body jolted with revulsion.

"How _cute_!" Law whispered with sheer amazement.

Before Chopper could draw breath, both of them crowded around him with obnoxiously high pitched voices and expressions that did not match their earlier intentions. Sanji threw him up into the air and caught him with a squeeze that robbed Chopper's breath from him in an undignified grunt. Sanji rubbed his face against the back of Chopper's head, causing the monster to cry out loud with horror, straining to get away. "I just _love_ your little face! Your fur is so shiny and soft!"

Law ripped him away from Sanji, holding him at arm's length away from him. Chopper struggled to get loose, but the alpha's handgrip was frighteningly strong. "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life," Law decided with finality, before hugging him to his chest, in sheer awe over the monster's soft fur and huggable form. He glowed at the sensation of soft fur against his cheer, absolutely positive he'd never feel this way about anything else.

"STOPPPPP this is undignified! _Humiliating_! I'm not a fucking toy! _I'm a man_! How dare you manhandle me in this way?" Chopper cried out with shock, squirming to get loose.

"Look at your little outfit," Law whispered with amazement, noting Chopper's uniform and his doctor's jacket. He cradled the monster within one arm and examined the stethoscope with a low gasp. Then he squeezed the monster against him, nearly suffocating him. "You are my child, now."

"You're killing him!" Sanji exclaimed, snatching Chopper away from Law and allowing the monster to inhale deeply. He then hugged him tightly, patting his back with low claps while Chopper looked outraged at being handled this way. "There, there…you are safe."

Laughter from nearby caught their attention, jerking their heads to the left with a snap.

Shanks clapped merrily as he ambled over from a nearby ridge, having taken a different path to the group. At his side hung a sword, but it seemed to disappear within the flutter of the Hawaiian print cape he was wearing over flashy clothes and drabby pants. He was a little older than when Law had last seen him – but it definitely was the man that gave him promises years ago.

"You guys are definitely late to the party. Look at you, gushing over that little thing like he's a baby. It's the pheromones! It distorts you completely!"

It was silent for several moments until Sanji slowly put Chopper down on the ground and Law stared at Shanks until his face clouded with fury. Sanji's filled in the same way. Shanks stilled in mid-walk over, literally posed in the motion he was in once he realized the shift change in the atmosphere.

Brushing himself off with a huff, Chopper said, "I prevented island disaster, but I don't know for how long, Shanks. They will continue to attack each other until they identify safely as mates, or until they finally realize that they cannot kill each other. My appearance can only do so much in this cause. I'm afraid I can't be around them forever. I have other duties to attend to."

Shanks nodded grimly, staring at Chopper with a pensive frown. After several moments of silence, he was suddenly _there_ and tossing the monster in the air with cheerful laughter while Chopper screamed at the height.

"Listen to you, all bossy!" he boomed with delight. Balancing him up above his head with one palm, Shanks then twirled the monster around with more laughter, prancing his feet lightly. "I _adore_ you! How can you be so damn cute?"

"This is why no one takes me seriously!" Chopper roared with outrage, flailing his limbs. "You sub genders can't focus a proper thought in your tiny minds to concentrate on the bigger picture!"

"Look at his tiny legs!" Sanji then squealed, practically alit with a dazzling glow.

Law watched the monster flail with utter amazement, eyes sparkling.

"Well, here is another example of me wasting my time..."

All at once the three men froze while Chopper looked to the right with utter relief. Mihawk paused in mid-step, looking over with disapproval. His clothing, streamlined to fit tightly and revealing little, seemed to shimmer under the sunlight. Shanks quickly set Chopper down and Law realized slowly, without any panic, that he was looking at another alpha. A _bonded_ alpha. One who did not pose any threat to either of them as a sub gender. He was only dangerous because he would have to act, and not because he was encroaching on territory. Law noticed the heavy looking sword strapped to his rather slender back, apprehensively looking for his own. Holding his hand out, he waited for the familiar smack of its weight against his palm. It came moments later with a clap, his fingers tightening around the grip.

Mihawk looked to Chopper, his amber eyes intensely focused by his expression suggesting indifference. "It's only slightly amusing how you are like catnip to any sub gender within your vicinity. Affecting any one around you. Luckily, I am too old to create a brood of my own and feel absolutely unaffected..."

"And I've hated you ever since!" Shanks cried indignantly, striding over to him. It broke another one of Law's misconceptions that alphas had to be bigger and bolder with their intimidating presence because Mihawk was clearly more lithe and shorter than the red head. "Which is why I've been _forced_ to adopt! Look at this island! Filled with kids I found that can only ease my own shallow emptiness with your damn rejection..."

"The responsibility is all yours," Mihawk decided with a heavy exhale, looking tired as Shanks invaded his space.

"Stop saying I'm alone in this!" Shanks cried. "This is your home, too!"

" _Feh_..."

Law pierced Shanks with a look. Shanks froze in mid-motion to avoid predator detection while Sanji glared at Mihawk.

"And your affection towards Perona and Moss?" Sanji snapped at him. "What's that if it's not filling an emptiness your nature demands?"

After examining his manicured nails, Mihawk muttered, "Their coloring and opposite attitudes pleases my secret fetishes...plus, they asked me to..."

Sanji was pretty sure this was an utter lie – Zoro had protested Mihawk's attention for months until he took off with the others in search of adventure. Mihawk had been depressed about it – lounging around in various outside picnic areas while bemoaning Zoro's disappearance while Perona complained that he was bothering her. Perona couldn't get away from the man – he was like a helicopter parent around her. She used her cat form to escape his vicinity but he always seemed to find her.

"What _fetishes_?" Shanks exclaimed, outraged.

"Perona is alive?" Law said, face tightening.

Sanji snarled at the sound of his voice. All of them jerked away from the blast of heat that burst from him before the foliage around them flamed slowly. Chopper coughed and brushed smoke from his jacket.

Shanks made to answer before Law snarled at Sanji, "You don't get to be pissed at me!"

"Just hearing your voice pisses off every damn bone in my body! I want to remove it from my presence!"

"I'll remove your bones from you, grind them up into a broth and drink it -!"

"Like I will ground up your children if you should try to have any!"

Furious, a wafting plume of darkness erupting from him, Law remembered the kid telling him that years ago. The area around his feet vibrated and crunched underneath his weight.

"Hey, _hey_ ," Mihawk interrupted roughly, plucking a flask from his belt. He drank from it gustily then capped and returned it. He realized that they were all waiting for him to add to the scene and turned away with another click of tongue against his teeth. Shanks snarled at him for the purposeless interruption.

Hand sweeping through his hair with impatience, Shanks then answered, "She is. She wound up here after a long journey from the land of the dead. With no memory of how she got there. She felt like she was missing a chunk of time, and could not remember anything from the past twelve years. As she cannot age, she's just…here. She's actually a very good daycare worker for the center down there…"

"It was the work of aliens, I suspect," Mihawk mused, squinting up at the sky suspiciously. After intense, bewildered silence from the others, he returned to ignoring them.

"Look, Law," Shanks then said with a sigh, facing them with a terse expression. Once the pair turned their intense gazes back to him while studiously ignoring each other, Shanks looked from one to the other, observing their obvious aging. Then he slapped his hands to his face with a cry of pain. "I can't believe this! You're both men, now! When I first met you two, _you_ were this tall and _you_ were here! You were such cute kids, I had a hard time keeping my secret fetish from revealing itself at that time and scaring you both! Now you're _old_! Do I _look_ old? Look at me, how old do you think I look? Do I have a ton of grays? Don't lie to me, I can handle the truth!"

Law turned away with frustration. " _Absurd_."

"Where are you going?" Sanji snapped at him, shoulders and head bursting into flame, Shanks hastily escaping injury by leaping away. "I am going to kill you to win my freedom!"

Law looked at him with such fierce displeasure that Chopper trembled. "I am going to walk 250 meters _that_ way and pull your entire endocrine system out through your right nostril. With the removal of your hormones, you can stop fucking calling for me like a cow in heat."

Sanji hissed noisily, erupting into fire. "It is _you_ calling _me_!"

Chopper held up a hoof for attention, lighting up brightly. His voice was light, stammering slightly despite his earlier trepidation. "Please allow me to study it!"

Law paused in mid-step. His shoulders stiffened as his eyes caught sight of activity from the main road below. They were interested spectators that included mostly older children, young voices talking excitedly about what could be happening. He'd never seen so many children in one spot, before. All of them happy and healthy, clearly thriving. He felt envious and yet…

But he thought about Chopper's question.

With a nervous sweat growing at his hairline, Law murmured, "Perhaps we can study it...together..."

Chopper lit up with delight. "Gosh, that's a _great_ idea! I'd love to exchange intelligent ideas with another doctor!"

Law looked back at him, surprised. A question built at his lips but once he saw Sanji snarling at the concept, his mouth tightened once more.

"Can I watch?" Shanks then whispered tentatively. "I wouldn't know what was happening, but can I wear a doctor jacket too?"

Mihawk turned around with an interested expression.

Sanji crossed his arms stubbornly, looking at Law balefully. His entire body was tight with the need to attack again. Even with everyone standing there with their own individual noises and actions, Sanji could _smell_ Law. The scent drove him crazy – infuriating every one of his nerve endings. He was tingling with the absolute furiousness of his anger. "Imprison him. He's got a bad reputation and is a minion of Doflamingo. His loyalty lies with him."

Law jerked around to look at him, and Shanks hastily grabbed Chopper and Mihawk by his puffy sleeve, pulling them out of the Room that surrounded the pair. Within the range, the ground exploded and burst with violent explosions of various stalagmites. The debris did not settle - it whipped around in a flurry, similar to that of a snow globe. Sanji stood his ground stubbornly, ignoring the knicks and small impacts as debris smashed against him.

Both of them faced off with each other, each raging with their own impressive auras. Shanks shielded his eyes while Chopper gasped, Mihawk fixing his upset sleeve.

"Agnostic behavior," Mihawk said gravely. "In humans, while it's true omegas are the ones to carry life, with uncontrollable heats that leave them weakened and unable to fight back when an alpha is in their presence, their own display of dominance and acquiescent behavior depends on the strength of their alpha. Most of the time, an unbonded omega is lesser strength in comparison to a hormonal alpha and therefore, a victim. But both are equally dominant, here. Perhaps because they are literal strangers to each other while with pent up years of unsettled hormones between them, and with an unprotected omega building his own defensive strength in response to his missing alpha's trained strength. So begins a show to find out who truly rules the relationship..."

Chopper furrowed his brow, rubbing hoof to chin. "Separating them won't help. But allowing them together won't bode well for the island. You can't sever a bond - we'd have to rely on their egos settling in order for them to grow familiar with each other enough to complete the bonding process. Otherwise, if Luffy returns and Law is here without either of them touching each other...oh, it could be a horrible mess..."

The Room dissolved suddenly. Sanji was sent flying once he made to protest being spoken of like a common animal. His impact sent up a spectacular plume of dust and ash when he landed several meters away. Sensing the sudden spike of dangerousness coming from the man that slowly turned to face them, Shanks and Chopper hurriedly hid behind Mihawk, who looked surprised at their retreat before facing Law with a flat expression.

Law looked murderous once more. "What was this about...Luffy?"

"Oh," Mihawk murmured with interest. "You must have just missed them. Luffy is a late bloomer alpha, and he set off to look for you so he could sever your bond. As it is incomplete, he does have the natural right to take over your mate should he remove you from the picture."

The image of the crying, screaming overactive kid filled Law's thoughts with horror. He couldn't imagine the brat growing up to be an alpha he would have to compete with. It was such an absurd idea to imagine. He was speechless.

"I don't know if he were serious," Mihawk continued, "but I find personal amusement in intercepting and reading his love letters. If only he stayed in school a little longer - his cursive is terribly offensive..."

"That's dreadfully rude of you to be pushing your perfect nose into other people's mail," Shanks murmured with disapproval. "Who knows what Luffy's head is going through? _Terribly_ inappropriate…"

"Trust me, the child has no idea what he's writing. It's obvious."

The entire area they were standing upon exploded with the force of a bomb - showering over a distance away and causing a mini rock slide that sent a terribly dark plume of smoke and dust into the air.

Coughing, the quartet had barely managed to recover when they heard Sanji shout, " _I am not a damn animal to be discussed_!"

Law hit the ground with a fist. He shoved himself up to his feet to look up at the mountain side. Seeing the destroyed state of the areas where they battled was brilliantly noticeable from below. It looked like bombs had exploded and upset the land itself, and Sanji stood in the midst of one particular, blackened crater.

Gritting his teeth, Law launched to his feet and teleported away from the others. Shanks sighed noisily into the dirt while Mihawk sat up. Chopper looked alarmed.

"They can't actually kill each other! I understand they were apart for years, but can't we convince them their madness is the cause of their separation?" he asked with desperation.

"Be my guest," Mihawk told him. He covered his head as debris rained down around them. The other two reacted too late. "But as you said earlier, they will destroy the island with their marital spat. Also, it's quite possible the other omegas on this island could respond to his...very potent alpha pheromones. Causing quite a scene in reaction."

"They'd be afraid of him. He's too volatile. They'd try to flee."

The three watched Sanji sail past them, tumbling down to the main road. Before Chopper could react with any concern, he was already flying past them with a curse.

Mihawk looked at his mate patiently. "Basically, _he_ is unclaimed as well. Any omega with strong intentions could launch an attack as well to find him better suited."

He looked at Chopper with contemplation. "But his reaction to the beast was very similar to his omega's, so perhaps all that's needed is some time in the cage together to settle certain feelings."

Shanks and Chopper looked uncomfortable. "The cage was made to contain an out of control alpha," Chopper mumbled. "I don't think it's strong enough for both of them."

"Well they found each other, and it's no business of mine to further bothering myself about." Mihawk yawned and turned away. "It's time for my mid afternoon nap. Fix it."

Shanks watched him leave, then bellowed, "You were absolutely no help, here!"

Mihawk waved at him but did avoid more debris easily.

Shanks looked back at the pair, just in time to see a massive rock slide erupting noisily to the left. The land would provide a natural diversion from the living areas below but the fact that this entire area looked like a war zone, he sighed heavily.

Scratching his head, he asked Chopper, "Any suggestions?"

"Let those idiots wear themselves out," Chopper mumbled. "Then, separate them to administer very strong doses of suppressants."

"...how long do you think it'll take for them to stay away after that?" Shanks mused, remembering how determined Law was going to abandon his omega years ago.

Chopper thought about, hoof to chin. "Three hours."

"I give it nine."

: :

Thirty minutes after they'd been separated from each other to opposite ends of the island, where Shanks was standing near the reunited trio in a jail facility, Sanji kicked the doors open. Shanks scrambled for cover as Penguin and Shachi dove away from the falling debris of doorframe and secured metal door. The facility was used to detain stowaways and the occasional mishap caused on the island – it was meant to be a deterrent, not an actual holding facility. But it allowed Penguin and Shachi to reunite with Law and Shanks was questioning them as well. He'd given Law alpha specific suppressants to use, waiting for the man to take them but Law was unconvinced that he should. Shanks thought he'd get some answers and make a determination but Sanji's arrival was unexpected, and the short visit had given him nothing.

Law hissed and stuffed the suppressants into his jeans pocket as Sanji strode in to invade his space, glaring murderously at him. After several seconds of an intense stare down between both, Sanji slapped him. Almost immediately, Law's skin erupted with red hives that looked so alarming that Shanks shouted with horror.

"Call for a doctor!" he hollered, hands to his hair.

"As I thought," Sanji said with a smirk as Law clapped a hand uselessly over the handprint shaped spread of hives. "I noticed earlier that every time my foot touched you, you broke out into hideous spots. You are allergic to me. It is been proven, so you must _die_."

With a growl, Law reached out and ripped his shirt open, revealing several handprints he'd caused trying to dismember the other man. Instead of bruises, the cuts healing from Sanji's scratching had reopened; but only in the shape of Law's hand.

"And you," Law determined with a sinister smirk, "are too _weak_ to handle a simple touch."

Shanks managed to get between them in time to prevent further bloodshed. His longer arm and shoulder created distance, the tension so wrecked with fury and irrationality that he felt suffocated in it. He could smell both of their pheromones clashing against each other – negatively, not positively. Since neither of them had much time to bond again, they were still combative strangers stuck to each other by an invisible rope that didn't give them much room to separate.

"Guys, _guys_!" Shanks shouted with exasperation. When they refused to cooperate, he realized there was only one thing to do. He grew serious, permeating the whole room with his influence. Shachi gasped but dropped as Penguin wavered dangerously, sitting sluggishly just in case. But moments later his head tilted forward and he slumped to the side. The bonded pair noticed the effect but looked at Shanks with puzzled looks.

Focused, Shanks looked to Sanji. "Did you take the suppressants Chopper was to give you?"

Sanji glared at him but looked to Law. His clarity was enough answer for Shanks. He held out his hand, and after a couple of moments, Sanji retrieved the alarming number of pills from his own pocket. Some were moist and shrunken, but Shanks made a face at the fact that they were still solid. He hastily handed them back to Sanji.

"You both are required to take them," he said slowly. "So take them at the same time. Trust me, they will help you concentrate on your thoughts, and not your damn instinct. Do you want to continue thinking like a damn animal in trying to destroy each other, or would you want to calm down and think this out like men?"

Still using his influence, he watched them glare at each other. But they each took their suppressants, Shanks watching them carefully. They wouldn't work instantly – but Shanks bet within a half hour they'd each be avoiding each other. With a nod, he asked Law, "Your true intention to your visit here at the island?"

Law made to reply, but his lips flapped with obvious effort. His voice left him to turn in an opposite direction of his intended answer. "To claim my pair...! _Ack_...!"

Shanks looked at Sanji while Law looked intensely confused over his forced but truthful answer. "Will you find a resolution to your pining?"

Sanji answered haughtily, "Only with time... _heugh_...?"

Satisfied with their truthful answers while they looked mortified at their given response, Shanks sighed.

"Will fulfilling a duty solve the problem at hand?" he asked them both.

"It is an inescapable...burden...!" Law replied with horrified effort, unable to say what he intended.

"Biology demands it," Sanji answered, then slapped his hands over his mouth with similar dismay.

 _Of course_ , Shanks thought with a tired exhale. He would hold back his want to explain that though their nature demanded that they provide children, a working relationship would allow them to make that choice. All they knew was what they'd been told as children, and their separation made things worse.

"Listen, Law...Sanji's situation is a rare encounter here on the island. We've never met an abandoned omega - "

"He wasn't _abandoned_ ," Law snapped bitterly. Shanks found it hard to take him seriously with his face and neck practically pulsing with alarming red hives. "He was told to return to the main land at a proper time! He was to find the suppressants and come back to me so our stupid bond didn't rule our entire lives! He took too long, so now I am here to kill him."

Shanks winced, reaching up to fiddle with his hair. "Well...essentially - "

"He would not let me so I took advantage and hoped you'd finally die, and you _refused_ to do that. I will relieve you of your duties if you'd just stand still and let it happen," Sanji huffed, his cheeks and neck nearly raw with his own reopened scratches. Shanks winced at the sight of him.

"Common sense, Sanji. There were some definite setbacks to just plopping you down onto a ship that takes a month to travel to the mainland," Shanks then said, shrugging. Law lifted an arm to cover his face moments before the entire room lit with a suffocating blast of heat and flame. The fire sprays went off, drenching the room with water.

After being soaked, Sanji muttered, " _Sorry_."

Brushing aside his wet hair, Shanks coughed. It looked as if he'd just suffered an intense sunburn, his face swollen and red. His clothes were singed and smelled of smoke. It hurt to make a single expression, but he looked at Sanji with exasperation. Law then understood that this omega could not travel on a vessel formed out of wood with his spontaneous spurts of power – but that realization did nothing to ease his helpless anger.

The water eventually shut off, and emergency personnel glanced in cautiously. Once they saw Sanji standing there, all of them wore expressions of exasperation. Shanks caught his arm before he could launch himself at them, and Law finally noticed an important detail.

"What happened to your other arm?"

"A vague accident," Shanks answered. He drew his hideous print cape over that shoulder. "I spoke enough about myself, today...! Now, _look_. As I was saying, the suppressants don't work on him in a traditional sense, as it was meant to work. But as I said, there wasn't a case like this one before, and I promise you, there are people investigating this problem to find a solution. But I see now that there _is_ a solution - now that you're reunited, you can repair the relationship and get to know each other better -!"

" _Bullshit_."

"For once, I agree with him," Sanji mumbled reluctantly.

" _No_ ," Law said, glaring at him. Just looking at him caused his temperature to spike with difficult action. He wouldn't get anywhere staying in the same place as Sanji – for now. He managed to pull himself together for reasonable expression – he had years of training himself to go without suppressants, he could do this. "I addressed you with your real name. Now that each of us are vulnerable, it's important not to fall back into what's being suggested if it hasn't worked in all these years. The more pressing our actions into killing each other, the weaker the bond grows. Eventually only one of us leaves the island intact - "

Sanji's foot slammed through the wall near his face - cracks split the area around it with an impressive and ominous action. Law's eye twitched.

"I don't give you any permission to rule my life with _your_ choices," he growled low while Law stared down at him with anger. After some determination, Law realized was too inclined to attack and Sanji would only provoke him – neither of them going anywhere. He had the higher ground in this state, though. He could walk away to clear his head and come back with a much more reasonable mood; hopefully.

"You're the idiot here, bullshit. That duty is required of us no more. Doflamingo has fallen and has no more requirements of what we were meant to provide in return." Law looked to Shanks, turning away from Sanji. "I seek education, not war. I'm no one's lackey. Our goal as children was to find this place _you_ promised so we would be provided for. It's found. He's here, I'm here. And I will go nowhere without what I've been looking for."

Shanks stared at him with a hard frown as Sanji removed his foot from the wall. After a few moments, Shanks sniffed, causing both men to furrow their brow.

"A worthy goal! Who the hell goes around destroying villages all to find a good _education_?" he cried dramatically.

"Preferably not with you around. I've had enough of sniveling children," Law added grimly, stalking off.

Shanks watched him go then sputtered. " _Wait_ , you're being detained until -!"

"Shanks," Sanji interrupted. Once the man's attention was him, Sanji grit his teeth. His fists were balled tightly at his sides, and he seemed to be trembling. But Shanks saw that his eyelids were starting to droop – the suppressants were kicking in for him. He relaxed in mid-motion to listen, but worried about Sanji's liver. Surely taking huge doses like that did something to the omega's innards. "All I can say right now was that was the goal as children. He…allowed us to go and gave his freedom to someone else..."

"So… _you_ want him to stay?" Shanks asked curiously.

Sanji bared his teeth. When he spoke, his words were slightly slurred but his eyes still retaining that earlier mania. "I want him _dead._ I've been abandoned for the final time, I will not tolerate it again!"

Shanks watched him breathe heavily for a few moments, recognizing that this omega could not formulate a rational sentence. But years on the island allowed him to get to know Sanji when he was rational and free thinking. So he didn't need too many words to take from Sanji to understand what he was trying to say.

With a low sigh, Shanks said, "I'll have Chopper issue you a stronger suppressant dosage for later, and have _him_ cooperate with this tactic as well. Perhaps those things will ease both of your irrational antagonism. Considering my uselessness, I'll appoint a guardian to watch over him to make sure he isn't here for any wrong doing. Is that acceptable?"

After some consideration Sanji only nodded, wearing a look of frustration. A few moments later, the two men lying on the floor disappeared, rocks reappearing in their spot. Shanks noticed this, and gave a grim smile in understanding. "For now, return to your room – it appears he hasn't agreed to the suppressants, or he's like you – almost too strong for them to have any affect."

Sanji frowned at him, but shrugged a shoulder. "Whatever," he mumbled, slightly staggering out the room with his leave.


	15. Chapter 15

**: : Fifteen**

* * *

The island had a different sort of quality to it that made Law anxious. The animals were different, the very air had a thicker taste to it, and the quiet was immeasurably…peaceful. He could hear the sounds of the small city slowing to a near crawl as curfew was enforced. After all, many of the occupants were children and young people. He wondered what happened to those that were beyond the age limit. Law was not going to allow them to run him off – not when coming here had been a goal for him for most of his young life. Pensively, he sat at the window and watched the lights flicker before most of them turned off to allow for peaceful darkness. The street lights remained on but there was nothing on the roads. The room had air conditioning set at a temperature that was favorable; it rumbled while he had the window open, not used to the sound or for the fact that he had access to one. He was too used to the outside and to a quality of life that didn't provide these things.

The temporary rooming facility was only for those who were to be processed and assigned a rating – those that pass their safety system would remain. Those that didn't – those that appeared to be a threat – would be held in the jail facility that he'd just left before being shipped back to mainland.

Security was incredibly lax here in this world – Law was insulted by it. Considering that this island sheltered and nurtured children, housed unbonded omegas and alphas, shouldn't it be properly secured? With guns at hand and menacing faces to intimidate those looking to make trouble?

He rubbed his face with anxious hands, feeling his hives. _My pair caused these…I want my pair…to pay for them._

Then he pulled out the suppressants Shanks had given him, looking at them with doubt. After leaving the jail cell, he'd simply removed them from his stomach. He was coming into this situation with a clear mind (somewhat) – no way were they going to try and restrain him in this fashion by instantly drugging him to be cooperative. He was an alpha, but he wasn't a damn rabid dog, jumping on everything that moved. He was _disciplined_. He didn't struggle for years just to require pills to make him sluggish. True, he'd yearned for them just so he could get away from Sanji but Law was certain that now that they were on the same damn island that his needs wouldn't be so strong.

He crushed them to powder within one hand, then wiped that palm on the chair armrest.

His litany reappeared like a whisper at the back of his thoughts and he forcefully refocused out the window. The dark obscured the sight of the dangerous obstacles in the sea that only a seasoned navigator could negotiate – he remembered seeing ships crashed against the rock pillars and encased in growing roots. If he had to leave…he'd need another way past that. He couldn't imagine leaving, though. This was his goal, and he'd dreamed of it many nights.

 _Alone_.

His skin shivered, causing him unease. Recalling Sanji's new form and shape, Law thought he'd drift into curious territory with exploring the concept of physical consideration, but instead his veins filled with warmth that settled into rage, and he gave the chair ahead of him an angry kick. It tilted and fell over with a loud noise. He felt like had the very first time – being forcefully married and bonded to an eight year old kid that struggled not to cry as his family left him. All that angry emotion came to the surface all over again. _kill kill kill!_

All these years of being separated had caused a lot of resentment in him to even consider anything cooperative. Which made him feel regret. His mind was swirling with confusion over his own years of anger and newly acknowledged adult craving for some fucking affection. That concept made him annoyed to know that it was there; but also made him admit to himself that because it _was_ there, it was what he wanted.

He rubbed his goatee with thought, tilting back in his chair to stare up at the ceiling. He couldn't think murder without grief. Clicking his tongue against his teeth, he sank low in his chair, propping his feet up on the fallen chair opposite him. Trying again to venture into adventurous territory, Law found himself imagining Sanji as a willing bed partner; that picture dissolved immediately to picture him as the kid he last saw him, so his face scrunched with absolute revulsion, skin breaking out into goosebumps.

He heard movement to his left and looked over to see Penguin ambling over sleepily, rubbing his eyes. He and Shachi had taken the only bedroom, both of them snoring up a storm earlier; secure in their settings.

"Couldn't sleep?" the older man asked casually. "I thought for sure things would change once we got here."

"Things don't change just like that," Law mumbled, checking the state of his skin to make sure he hadn't produced anymore hives just _thinking_.

Penguin studied his face, which was illuminated by the faint light from outside. "Want some aloe?"

Law worried with panic that Penguin could see his thoughts. He didn't answer.

Penguin knew Law could heal himself – but the physical touch thing was an iffy one, especially if his own omega was attacking him. "Listen, even if you're planning a billion things right now, just take it easy. This island…it's a good thing. For all of us. If you'd allow it, it'd be good for you, too."

Considering the amount of dedication to the concept of 'relaxing', Law glared out the window. "I have no aspirations to take over this island, or cause any more trouble than I have."

Penguin wasn't absolutely sure what Law wanted from this place. The teenager he'd met years ago never seemed to have a chance to be child – every aspect of his life had been tension and hostility, but he was a good person – the layers only had to peeled aside to find this. Unfortunately, Law didn't give others the chance to do that.

"Then, it's important to remain on your best behavior," Penguin said slowly. "No – "

"' _Best behavior_ '?"

" – demands, you don't get to make demands, here," Penguin said over him. "You don't get to disobey their rules, you don't get to make your own. This island is different from the mainland – it isn't every man for themselves. They make their decisions based on the children, not the adults'. It's not the mainland."

Law glared out at the vaguely glittering city lights.

"For the children's consideration and safety. You know, as well as I do, how many can prey on those that are defenseless. If they deem you an unsocial threat, they will remove you. It sounds like they don't even reach the mainland, in some cases…"

"You don't think I'm sociable?" Law asked, looking at Penguin with warning.

"No," Penguin answered, ignoring the look. "You aren't. Everyone's afraid of you. Maybe look a little friendly."

"This is my face, it doesn't always look friendly."

"I understand that. But _try_."

"'tch'," Law muttered. Penguin couldn't help but fight a fond smile.

"It'll take time to adjust," he then went on, Law gripping the armrest of his chair with tattooed fingers. "But they do try."

"I already have a plan to be rid of my omega." _I want my pair_ …The litany crossed his mind despite his spoken plot. It made his mouth twitch with agitation.

Penguin schooled his expression. "Are you going to let us in on the plan?"

Law looked at him again. Now that he thought it, the litany wasn't easing quickly away from him like it had earlier. It caused him stress. _Damn_ it, they were now on the same island together, why was it still speaking up at a time like this?

"I don't want you giving it away."

Penguin couldn't stop his smile this time. " _Right_. Our mouths are pretty loose to anyone that asks anything of us."

"What do these pills do directly?" Law then asked him, ignoring his sarcasm as he showed Penguin the pink powder on his palm.

Penguin only vaguely recognized what it was by the color. "Alpha suppressants. They lessen your aggression. Also makes you intensely drowsy, I heard. Slows the craving – "

"They diminish magic as well, I suppose?"

"Yes. Side effects include nausea, appetite suppressant, gives you a headache and inhibits your mood. Which is why some alphas are carelessly loopy, but they don't attack omegas or vulnerable people when in their heat. Hey, they _might_ make you a sociable person."

"Enough with your jokes. Now that I have them…" Law looked down at his hand then wiped it again against the armrest, "I don't want them. _He_ took them. _He_ can be suppressed."

Penguin exhaled low. "But," he interrupted gently, "maybe it'll settle the rage you have. So you can manage at least a conversation."

" _Why_ would I want to manage a conversation with _him_?"

"I don't know…what did you use to talk about as kids?"

When Law didn't answer, Penguin said hastily, "You guys aren't kids, anymore. It could be a lot different. Before we left, those kids were given a chance to go to school. Allowed to participate in…kid things. Trampoline parks, water parks, supervised overnight trips to the sea…but he was unable to participate. The suppressants he took weren't working. He was homeschooled by some dude who had to wear a fire suit. He was allowed to work at a kitchen down town, but dude chopped his own fingers off and continued prepping like it was nothing. Traumatized about ninety percent of the people that saw it."

"Which ones?" Law asked with interest.

" _Guess_. They reattached them, but…so…you guys have a lot in common." Penguin looked out the window with some contemplation while Law reviewed his memory, trying to see any abnormalities in Sanji's left hand while they battled. "I'm just saying…it could be different. You should give it a chance. _Relax_."

"Relaxing means a book in hand with blood on those same fingers. Waiting for an attack."

"You don't have to do that, here. There's no Doflamingo, there's no territory disputes, no fighting. It's just…peace."

Law couldn't imagine that. It was too broad of a stretch. Penguin rose from his chair, patting his shoulder. "Get some rest, buddy. If you're going to fit in with the demands on your mind, you're going to need your wits about you."

"It's that easy for you?"

"Yeah. I already know what it's like here. You should be able to, too."

With that, Penguin returned back to the bedroom, and Law was left on his own. He scoffed at the picture Penguin had attempted to paint for him.

: :

Law had finally fallen asleep when the sun began hinting at the horizon. But that was short lived when the door was kicked down, and he jolted so violently, sword withdrawn and on defensive mode that his chair fell back. Sanji barged in, the guards behind him looking panicked.

"You didn't take them," Sanji accused him, looking just as manic as Law felt. "You _fucker_."

"Don't come in here and start attacking me! I will slaughter you where you stand!"

"Even when you are here, I can't fucking concentrate like a normal piece of shit! Just knowing you are here," Sanji continued, curling his hands into fists, "makes me _furious_."

" _Same_ ," Law commented, prepared to form a Room to settle this once and for all.

Before either of them could move, Penguin and Shachi sleepily inserted themselves between them. Penguin withdrew a dingy white object from his pack, waving it around. Before either sub gender could react, they saw for themselves that it was an adorably stuffed rabbit with a pink bow and dotted pattern paws. All at once, Law lowered his sword and Sanji's eyes brightened up with delight.

" _Fiend_!" Law managed to curse, eyes locked on the stuffed animal. He recognized it as the one the mother on the ship had in her possession to play with her baby with. She had used it to make noises and voices that had caused the baby to giggle, reaching for it with its tiny hands. How did Penguin _know_ …?

Waving it from side to side like a flag, Penguin exhaled heavily once he saw their attention completed devoted to it. "Sorry, but you guys can't fight here. There's kids around us, including a baby. Hurting any of them because you guys are angry – it's not fair. If you can't be stopped, please take this confrontation away from living areas."

Sanji managed to look away from the stuffed animal, regaining his earlier expression. But he noticeably struggled to keep his attention on the man, who was struggling to do the same.

"To the sea, then," he decided heavily. Law narrowed his eyes with mild agreement.

"No one is going anywhere!" Chopper complained, staggering slightly as he rushed into the room. He looked half-awake, fur mussed and his sleeping garment tugged at with fitful hooves. Law dropped his sword with a light gasp and Sanji sucked in air, automatically wiggling with joy. "Take your suppressants, _for the love of_ \- ! I do not want to be woken up like this, this is madness! If you're men, control yourselves like one! Stop causing inconveniences to the rest of us!"

Walking in, he snatched the stuffed animal from Penguin with a huff. With some hesitation, he then brought it to his face, twitching as he struggled to look as adorable as possible. The effect worked – both sub genders looked at him as if he were gold.

"Please take your suppressants!" he begged in a small voice, forcing his eyes to enlarge with worry.

Sanji pulled the handful from his pocket and stuffed them into his mouth, chewing furiously, unable to look away from the monster and his toy. Law looked at the palm of his hand and gave it a tentative lick before he realized what he was doing.

Enraged, he snapped, " _Why is this happening_?"

"It's all part of the process, Trafal-Traf – oh, your name hurts me," Chopper muttered indignantly, hooves on his hips.

"Try 'shithead'," Sanji suggested grumpily. "Rolls right off the tongue."

Law glared over at him, the animosity staggering within the small area. Shachi cleared his throat noisily, gesturing at the bedroom. Lighting up, Chopper signaled that Law follow him. Once they were there, Chopper shut the door so that he could speak privately with the tense alpha.

"Traffy. Law. Which name do you prefer?" he asked curiously.

"My…first…!"

" _Law_. It's common for even alphas to react to cute things. Despite the stigma of an alpha, it's in you to nurture and allow life to flourish." Tilting his head back to look up at the man with thought, Chopper added, "If you haven't found yourself reacting before then…it is sad that the mainland doesn't inspire much hope. It makes our efforts here on the island that much more profound."

"Yeah, you're raising wimps that probably could not handle a single day living over there after being pampered here," Law muttered bitterly.

"We don't send our children back without any defenses. Everyone here is equipped to fight and survive," Chopper returned. "Most choose to go because they are already bound to that land and have their own goals. Don't come up here and start bad mouthing our efforts when it was yours at one time, too!"

"…sorry…"

Law then looked shocked that he'd responded to the monster's chastising, unable to understand how the words just left him without his okay. Chopper frowned. "If you want to stay here – "

"No one is running me off," Law threatened. "I am here, I refuse to budge."

"Understanding _that_ , all that is asked of you is that you follow _our_ rules….please?" Chopper then asked, rubbing one eye; unintentionally upping his cuteness factor.

Law glowed – he was absolutely oblivious to his own reactions but once he realized them he stiffened with horror.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, Chopper then yawned before saying, "The others spoke very highly of you, Law. Trust me, we _want_ to work with you. But for the safety of the island – we only ask that you set aside any bad intention you might have and consider the children…"

After several moments, Law muttered, "It is unfair that I am regarded as a threat when I've done nothing to act as one."

Chopper stiffened, then looked guilty. "I'm sorry. You're right…we treat everyone the same, but…it's just…there's no easy way to put it, Law. You worked for a very bad man…"

"To survive."

"Yes. I understand. Shanks does as well. He knows all that, but… some of us are very nervous. Doflamingo was known for hoarding children."

"I was one of them."

"We want this to be the best place for you," Chopper said hastily, looking uncomfortably. "I'm sorry if you feel we have to treat you as a criminal, I – wish it were different - !"

Giving him a cold stare, Law then said, "So you will continue to treat me like I should be monitored every minute – "

Sanji barged in, causing Chopper to jolt and Law to roll his eyes with exasperation.

"I couldn't help but overhear a few things," he stated stiffly. "You both were shouting so loudly…"

Chopper was pretty sure neither of them had raised their voices.

Swallowing tightly, Sanji then said, " _I_ will be the one monitoring his behavior."

"That is not something we can afford, not with all your fighting - !"

"It makes more sense…" Sanji said, trailing off as his teeth gritted, combating his natural instinct to erupt once again. Flames licked slowly at his shoulders and head as everyone looked at him warily, prepared to flee.

Law frowned at him. "You look constipated."

"Don't you _dare_ \- !" Chopper whispered with rising worry as Sanji's expression changed to fury.

Entire body trembling mightily, Sanji managed to prevent from combusting in place. His veins bulged and his skin reddened, shaking fingers curling into tight fists. The flames and heat grew in size, licking at the doorframe and causing a warning alert from the smoke alarm. But eventually they lowered and sizzled, heat dimming slightly until eventually fading away. Exhaling harshly, Sanji steadied himself with a hand against the doorframe. He ended up leaving a blackened handprint anyway.

"…for both of us to get used to each other again, while allowing me, the only one that can learn his true intentions and intercept any trouble before it happens, to truly fit the description of a security guard," Sanji then finished with effort, panting like he'd just run a hard sprint.

"That sounds like trouble," Chopper whispered, fretting. "Because it's so easy to push each other over the edge - !"

"I _refuse_ to let someone like him rule over my life and its circumstances," Sanji interrupted him stubbornly. "To be treated like glass because of some stupid instinct - ! It doesn't make sense to be coddled, and to allow this period to draw out uselessly between both of us."

Law clapped his hands together. "Good job, bullshit. You've made some courageous advances as a maturing adult. But you're not quite there, yet."

He ignored the furious look Sanji pinned him with and looked at Chopper. "It's decided. That way, should any killing occur, it'll be between us only and not a crowd. The benefits far outweigh the cons – I've seen your security forces upon entrance to this place, and it astounds me that it's unguarded so carelessly. It'll tempt me to react based on ego. With him monitoring my every move and with me focused entirely on him, it'll be only _his_ life I'll eventually fuck with."

Chopper stared at him with wide eyes, astounded to be threatened and reassured at the same time. His expression stiffened with confusion right after. "I'm just a doctor," he then whispered piteously. "I don't get to make most decisions. It'll be Shanks that will have to be convinced."

"Then notify him immediately." After a few moments, Law then added, "Please. The sooner the agreement, the sooner I can start to immerse myself into the education process."

: :

"It's not that easy," Shanks said hours later, looking at the pair incredulously. He'd met them in the park-like setting of the respite area outside of the facility. The tables were empty with a couple of umbrellas unfurled to protect them from the sun – the temperature was surprisingly agreeable despite the lack of clouds in the sky. The breeze rustled the surrounding foliage and birds chirped merrily from the branches. Awaiting people lingered near the doorway, looking in their direction apprehensively – none of them would emerge any further because there was so much tension radiating in the air.

While it looked like Sanji had taken enough suppressants to kill a crowd, the pair were visibly radiating their own straining pressure. Law looked over-caffeinated and restless, practically rocking in place while his trembling fingers clutched at his sword like a lifeline. Neither of them looked like they had a lick of sleep – hair standing on edge and clothing rumpled with numerous clutching of anxious hands. Every time they caught the other looking, they'd wear fearsome expressions. Shanks could compare them to two volatile animals that constantly circled each other, just waiting for a chance to lunge.

Mihawk was sitting at a table nearby, sunglasses on and wide, floppy hat in place while he drank straight out of a bottle and Perona looked sullen at his side. Her appearance hadn't changed any since the last time Law saw her – but she wore a daycare themed apron over her goth clothing. Law wanted to press her for answers but he couldn't focus beyond his tedious control over his own fragile emotions; his litany had changed to _kill kill kill_ , and he was struggling not to mumble that aloud.

"First off, it's understood that most people from the mainland hadn't had a lick of school, so they are given a chance here," Shanks said skeptically. His red billowy capris clashed with his yellow and blue floral shirt, but a dingy tan cape was draped over his wide shoulders to continue to hide the fact he was missing an arm. "I understand you'd want to dive right in for the throat, but…allow some foreplay. Start from the bottom to see what we're doing here and eventually…see the broader picture."

"Hopefully, your foreplay is better than others," Mihawk commented. Shanks slowly turned his head to look at him, Perona's face twisting into absolute revulsion as she looked down at her 'adoptive father'. "You can write cursive, at least? It's almost a lost language, here."

Ignoring Mihawk, dismissing him as a careless old man, Law growled, "What an insult – I taught myself much of my medical education. I will not tolerate being treated as a child – !"

"Now, now, I know it sounds bad," Shanks interrupted him nervously. "But…mainly it's for us to get to know you, and for the children to see for themselves that you aren't a bad person."

After a few moments, Law asked skeptically, "You're inserting me into a classroom full of… _children_?"

"Yeah," Shanks answered brightly. "On the understanding that you'll be on your best behavior."

In disbelief, Law wasn't sure what to say. But he reddened from the neck up, struggling to stave his rising anger. Sanji glared at the two men balefully, trembling. He clenched his teeth to prevent himself from saying anything at all.

Shanks continued when he realized Law was speechless, looking at him with astonishment. "The grades are simple – we have very few elementary school children, so they're all in three classrooms. You'll be assigned to the one with the fewest – they're struggling, so perhaps you can help motivate them."

"By terrifying them to death with his shitty face?" Sanji asked incredulously.

"I think it'll be a good incentive for them to see a potential role model," Shanks replied, his expression still bright. Sanji looked at him as he'd just lost his mind, then glanced over at Mihawk for confirmation. But the man was ignoring them, watching birds flutter above their heads. "Plus, I bet there's a couple things here and there that he'll learn as well. PLUS – look at their cute little faces, Trafalgar, and you can't lie to yourself – they're so fucking _adorable_."

Law stared at him in complete silence, thought process skidding to a complete halt at their complete trust and indifferent attitudes. If he were truly a villain in their eyes, someone untrustworthy, why entrust him to be around small children? _Did_ they trust him – or were they trying to find him capable of any empathy? He understood they were directly attacking this weird attraction to cute things; it had definitely stopped him in his place a few times so far, but to be surrounded by _children_ – whom he wanted nothing to deal with after his few years with the boys? He had certainly never found them _cute_. His upper lip twitched ever so slightly with revulsion.

Sanji looked at the older pair like they'd lost their minds.

"You've had experience with children, brat," Perona then said haughtily, flicking at one of her pigtails. "It isn't anything different from those boys, except these ones are better behaved."

"Meanwhile, impress me," Mihawk said, signaling that his bottle was empty. Perona snatched it from him with a growl, exchanging it with another that she tossed down into his lap. He visibly struggled to recover from that, Shanks' face swelling with suppressed laughter.

" _Impress you_?" Law repeated tightly.

"Yes," Mihawk went on, voice strained as he slightly hunched over. But he uncapped the bottle with slightly shaking fingers. "You've went for years without suppressants, acting on your own instinct as an alpha to overcome a difficult obstacle. You and I have much in common – mayhem learned accidently, but never forgotten…regarding your current instinct, I want to see how you can control that at the same time as being stuck inside a classroom of innocent, vulnerable, _defenseless_ children that have never seen a blackboard, before."

Law gritted his teeth, veins pulsing at his temple.

"Maybe you'll end up replacing a teacher or two. The possibilities are endless."

"Or I could slaughter every one of them!"

"Or you could, there's that…but I doubt it." Mihawk took a long swig of his drink before exhaling grandly, wiping his mouth. He examined the bottle before looking at Perona. "Please consider daddy's blood sugar levels. _Moscato_ …the nerve. This is your rebellious stage, isn't it?"

Shanks looked embarrassed as Perona snarled at him. To himself, Shanks mumbled, "I am a respected man on and off this island. Yet, I'm bonded to this idiot of a drunkard…my coolness level just dropped several points – _what have I told you about wearing that atrocity, by the way_?"

" _Enough_ of your distractions," Law snapped at them before Mihawk could answer. The man was set on defending his floppy hat when Law spoke. After several moments, Law said tightly, "I'll do it. But I won't be drugged. It hasn't yet been twenty-four hours, and _he's_ still standing."

"Surprisingly," Mihawk mumbled, bottle to his lips. "My first time, I'd made sure my partner couldn't stand – "

He was interrupted with shouts of various content, which caused him almost to jolt. With an insulted tone, he said, "I was talking about _hand to hand combat_. Are we all that sensitive to the real issue, here?"

"Just… _stop_. You're embarrassing everybody, mainly yourself," Shanks pleaded, turning away from him. With obvious fluster, he told Law patiently, "It's not that we don't trust you, but it'll make it easier for you to concentrate on something requiring your full attention without being totally focused on what's going through your mind right now. The suppressants aren't a bad thing…consider them allowing you a break amidst all the screaming in the background. I know how it goes, I really do – the litany doesn't stop. It'll quiet, but it won't _stop_ until all is right between you."

"I _won't_ be drugged," Law repeated. He looked over at Sanji. "You'll trust _him_ inside a classroom full of children? Combusting the way he does?"

"No, he goes elsewhere. Two hours, tops," Shanks then offered. "Take it, or leave it."

Law considered the underlying threat in those words. "What happens if I don't take it?"

Shanks smiled thinly at him. He didn't have to say exactly what Law felt he knew, feeling uneasy with the sensation that washed over him. "We might look unguarded, Law," Shanks murmured. "But it's supposed to look that way. For the welfare of the kids, to not trigger anything inside of them that might remind them of where they might have come from. But we know everything that is happening around here. Including the fact that you slept exactly twenty-five minutes before Sanji here kicked in your door. That you had a conversation with Penguin about your intentions…"

Law looked at him with alarm, but Shanks shrugged. He then added with a lift of an eyebrow, "I've never played a flute my entire life."

Mihawk snorted, causing Shanks to stiffen. His skin matched the color of his hair as he looked over at him with warning once again. Perona shook her pink head with absolute disgust.

But the fact that they knew the entirety of Law's reasons for being here – it made sense why they were allowing it to happen. He'd pretty much confessed on his own that he hadn't any bad intentions. It was annoying to have lost an option, but the fact that he had more to fill in its place…

He glanced over at Sanji. His temperature spiked and his shoulders stiffened, blood flow erupting with force; he had the urge to attack and to fight it, he gripped his sword tighter than before. It cracked noisily, but refused to break. Sanji glanced over at him from the corner of his eye, lips parting slightly to reveal clenched teeth. Both of them felt their inner tension rise, Shanks wincing at the strength of their rather impressive auras.

Mihawk made a remark that went unheard by the two of them – but Shanks' voice moments later told them they were occupied.

Managing to drop his eyes, Law caught sight of two stiff fingers that refused to bend with the others. Sure enough, it was Sanji's left ring finger and pinky that had suffered the attack, both fingers scarred with angry white lines and ridged skin. He looked back at the man, struggling to formulate cohesive words.

"If only it were that easy to escape," he said tightly.

"As much as I can't stand you right now," Sanji uttered, with as much effort as Law, "if this is to work… _peacefully_ …then some effort into cooperating together would help both of us out."

Law thinned his lips. "Then, _you_ start."

"I already have!" Sanji snarled at him, almost pouncing but holding himself back. He clutched his shirt while Law looked at him with mild amusement for his effort. But he was straining himself to prevent from lunging back at him. Sweat broke out over his skin as the near mindless urge to attack caused him to vibrate ever so slightly. "By speaking up on your behalf. You could manage to do the same by ceasing your shitty bullying. Fucking alpha pheromones are smothering me – you do not earn the right to control me, I ain't that kid anymore."

After a few moments of intense concentration, Law managed to revert his litany of _kill kill kill_ to something more superior. _You're mine, mine_ mine! he heard, whispered over the mania. It wasn't delivered with so much as any sort of affection, just possession. The blond was just a toy in his path. The thought built in force, considering his years of aggression and hostility, building and building until it changed the very scent of his pheromones. Sanji's expression changed immediately, and Law smirked with rigid satisfaction.

Law stepped towards him so that his full height could be used to further intimidate him, the litany practically a scream in his thoughts. He grit his teeth so he couldn't let them escape verbally. Sanji stepped towards him, the distance closed enough so that Law's skin fluttered with agitated heat and the threat of hives. But Sanji's pheromones were raging, fighting against Law's own. There was a wisp of vulnerability in it in the scent, some screaming caution against an intimidating alpha, but Sanji's were significantly different from those Law had encountered. Most omegas cringed and cowered, too panicked to create their defense but Sanji's promised to give as much fight as Law put in. It tickled his interest as an alpha, willing to overcome that obstacle with strength and determination.

Their pheromones clashed violently with each other – it was much different being adults and having conflict than being children with juvenile bullying tactics towards each other. Sanji wasn't backing down from him as he would have as a child, but Law was careful not to allow any guard down. Sanji always managed to out muscle him in a sense that Law had always found himself fighting back. After all, Sanji was _always_ trying to kill him.

After settling his choppy breathing, Sanji said, "Despite our tension, your name was spoken ridiculously fondly by the group of us. So if you fuck this up now by threatening those kids, I will _ruin_ you."

For a few moments, Law frowned down at him. The sheath cracked again, but held steady. It hurt to think that he was thought of as an corrupt degenerate, despite what he'd done for Sanji and the others. It only made him bitter.

"I don't recall being that type of person back then," he then stated, with even effort.

For a moment, Sanji's stance wavered. Law acknowledged that he made him stumble. For the first time since their reunion, Sanji looked away from him. After a moment, he turned away with a sullen frown. Law recognized his victory.

"After you're both done eye-fucking," Perona said, looking bored, "then let's get your uniform."

Law paused and looked at her sharply, pheromones dropping from the intense confrontation earlier. "What uniform?"

: :

The classroom was a bright, roomy area with perfectly arranged cubicles, mats, very small tables and chairs. The walls were decorated with posts the kids made themselves, along with runners with various languages that greeted the occupants with motivational phrases. The black board was clean, ready for use. There were three teachers present – all of them teens. There was one matron present, far older than the younger adults Law had seen. Thirteen kids, ranging from three to eight, stared up at him with visible fright on their faces.

He was frozen solid because his senses were running wild. There were cutesy decorations everywhere – a holiday was coming up, so rabbits with painted ears, candy and sloppy outlines of the kids themselves were plastered where the kids could reach them to hang. The kids themselves were wearing shirts that had rabbit gel paintings on them. All of them were working on posters, but all paint splattered hands had visibly paused, dropping paintbrushes or markers.

Law could see that most of them read, " _Welcome, Law_!" But the letters were sloppy, some were inverted, some were just splashes of paint with effort placed on his name. It was grandly apparent that only few of them knew how to write. His head thundered with rushing blood, and he was quite aware that his pheromones were releasing because he felt tense and on edge, and he needed to assert his dominance while in this state. All of them were too young to be a sub gender, but anyone could sense a dangerous animal. Nearly all of them reacted _because_ of that.

Perona gestured at Law to the classroom. "Everyone, here's the new kid. Be nice to him, he's _shy_. His name is Law, he wants to be a teacher. And guess what? Fun fact – you're never gonna need band-aids again because he's _also_ a doctor."

All the kids stared up at Law with utter terror before either erupting with panicked cries or slow moving confusion. The teachers, nervous themselves, hastily set about trying to control the classroom's reaction.

Perona nodded. "Yep. Looks like you'll have to put effort into this, punk. You ain't going to pass if you don't change your attitude."

Law looked at her, vibrating with visible confusion and answering rage, insulted that he was being put through this. To be forced around children – _long_ after he'd decided he wanted nothing to do with them after what the boys put him through.

He had no idea how to even behave in front of them. He'd spent most of his time yelling and giving orders to four unruly boys that talked back and already knew how to survive. These children…they were _babies_. Coddled, healthy, thriving babies…some that were Sanji's age when they first met.

He happened to lock eyes with a terrified eight year old, and instead of seeing that kid's features, he saw Sanji looking back at him with the same sullen expression Law had seen hours earlier. He froze because his instincts seemed to swing violently into another direction. It had been awhile since Law felt insecurity and doubt, and the feelings felt brand new after years of hostility and aggression.

Two hours here, then he'd return back to Sanji's company. He didn't even want to _think_ about Sanji but here he was…he needed to _focus_.

He swallowed tightly, not even sure how to _speak_ amidst the group. He was absolutely _sure_ he was not welcomed to tell the kids to "shut the fuck up and clean up your damn mess, we're not animals!", here. Apprehensively, his tattooed fingers searched for _something_ to clutch – Shanks would not allow him to carry his sword at the school. Several sets of eyes went to the sight of his tattooed hands, and some fascination did appear. Luckily, it appeared none of them could read very well. One kid dedicated himself to try and read his fingers, head tilting and mouth moving slowly. Law then pushed his hands into his apron pocket with some fluster.

He'd changed into black long-sleeved shirt over a pair of his own jeans, boots, and the same sort of apron that Perona was wearing. She had loaned him one of hers – it was plain black with pockets in front, the tie knotted awkwardly behind him. The pockets held his suppressants he was supposed to take.

He thought of Sanji, imagining the sort of conversation they would have when he returned to him. His eyes narrowed with frustration. _I want my pair_ returned with an absolute vengeance in this moment of insecurity.

After several moments, he ended up reaching for those pink pills and chewing them with trouble. The strong taste made his eyes water and his system to panic.

He swallowed hard as the kids continued crying or fleeing for the younger teachers that looked from him to Perona with terror.

Perona patted his shoulder. "Learn lots, 'k?"

: :

Sanji fiddled with his ponytail, agitation running through him. His eyes were drooping significantly, but he was surprised to feel a little more _relaxed_. His veins weren't pulsing with building hostility and screaming indecision; his mind seemed to slow from the mania that made life difficult. He knew at once Law had followed the rule by taking the suppressants – it both stunned and relieved him. With both of them suppressing themselves, it felt like a break from the constant static. It was unfair that this break only happened because they had to drug themselves to do so…almost as if it were yet another punishment for being a sub gender.

His heat felt like it was moving impossibly slow to overcome – he still felt uneasy with the heavy release of his pheromones, which was in constant agitation, now, with Law's presence on the island sending them into overdrive. His body felt overstressed because it knew Law was there, and his system was in immense confusion.

Drawing the ponytail over one shoulder, Sanji fiddled with the flayed ends. Two hours…Law would only be occupied for two hours. After that he'd be free. Sanji could find him and monitor him for any wrong doing. There was a shot of eagerness in that thought that made him feel relieved to _finally_ be at the older man's side. Not in the romantic sense, but to have his company close by.

He could not imagine Law's company for anything more than that. He wasn't a stranger to sex or feelings, but he could not imagine Law's involvement in either of those things. Law was still the older, bratty boy that hounded Sanji constantly with his controlling attention. It didn't matter if his alpha had grown into a pretty attractive man; he would always be that bratty kid that called him 'bullshit'.

Sanji felt pained by his earlier accusation of thinking Law as a bad person – not after what Sanji had acknowledged years ago. Now that Sanji was a man, he could see what sort of hell they'd been forced into, and had to secretly marvel over the fact that Law abstained from him. He treated him as a shitty kid – _allowed_ Sanji to be a kid.

His heart ached suddenly with guilt. _I want my mate_ …

He flattened himself onto the floor, staring up at the ceiling with an expression of remorse on his face. If he could think in this fashion over the screaming lines of his litany, perhaps he could overwhelm his instinctive animosity to cooperate in a reasonable way with his alpha. Sanji knew it was his instinct and madness that caused a heated spike through him for even _thinking_ about backing down; but it wasn't backing down or showing his belly in the face of an aggressive animal…it was amicable co-existence.

All these years he had grown to a state where he _needed_ the presence of his mate nearby, so now that Law was showing promise to the others that he planned on staying – for whatever selfish reason he had – perhaps that animosity would eventually filter out. But Sanji didn't know how long that would take.

He knew that the main cargo ship would disembark within three months to the main land – it would settled for at least another there at the shore, waiting for passengers, then take a month to return. With a grit of his teeth, Sanji acknowledged that Luffy and the others would be on that ship home.

His skin broke out with intense goosebumps at the thought, revolted at the thought of another alpha pressing in with interest. _I want my mate_ …! Now that he was a man, now that he knew what sex was and what it felt like, Sanji understood that sex between sub genders was something entirely different from what he knew as a child.

Sanji had his share of encountering interested alphas on the island but had hooked up with non-sub genders. Some alphas immediately realized he wasn't an easy omega to intimidate and had decided for easier prey – but these alphas were just _children_ themselves. Since his stay at the island, Sanji had never been threatened by an adult alpha, but he took it upon himself, as the oldest of the collection, to protect the others. Thus, his reasoning for attacking stowaways with bad intentions towards the more vulnerable occupants.

But Luffy was one of these alphas. He was so easy to write off as a childish, no brained idiot who still found huge bugs immense treasures, who whined and complained whenever Ace beat him at something, but when it came to sensing Sanji's heat…well…that younger idiot had latched onto Sanji and hugged him with such strength and building tension that Sanji had actually felt fear. Luffy was stronger than he looked and pretty much the most stubborn at knowing what he wanted, and since that day he started showing signs of his sub gender, he wasn't not secretive about it.

It actually filled Sanji with dread thinking of his return. He _did_ feel vulnerable – _I want my mate_ – not that Luffy would outright attack him but the kid didn't know what he was doing. All Luffy knew was that he wanted to crush Sanji in his arms and breathe him in while always wanting his full, devoted attention; unconsciously aggressive about it. The thing that scared Sanji the most the last time was actually feeling the alpha's hard-on against his back and thinking that he couldn't escape that astonishingly strong intention of his. Sanji wasn't scared of the teen himself – he was frightened by Luffy's goddamned _instinct_.

_I want my mate!_

A combination of revulsion and fright had him sitting up, clutching his stomach as a heave swept through him. He hadn't felt vulnerable in so long that it absolutely shattered his ego to think about it now.

That was the thing that kept him from thinking Luffy was a monster, or a revolting predator. Sanji had grown up with him so Luffy was a friend, a comrade, someone to trust – and that was what twisted these things around. Because that very same friend, comrade, someone Sanji could trust could easily turn around and casually claim him in any way Luffy saw fit once he caught whiff of Sanji's heat or fell to his own. Ace and the others had a hard time restraining him the last time. In the time passed, how much stronger had Luffy grown?

He tapped his bottom teeth against his top, feeling revulsion freeze his veins.

Both he and Law were unclaimed by the other – the bond wasn't complete. He finally understood Doflamingo's teasing about Law being unable to perform his marital duties, the significance of it filling Sanji with frustration and shock that two kids were expected to follow in adult situations without understanding it for themselves. _That_ was the world they left behind, though. This world, this island – this was a new one where they had choices.

That was the beauty of it. He wanted to share it with Law after all this time, knowing how much the older boy had wanted it, but this _damned instinct_ was in the way - !

He then furrowed his brow with frustration because it felt like he couldn't keep a direct thought in his head to focus on – but he knew that every one of them involved Law. It was hard to think about the others when Law was all he literally thought about. Everything in the background traipsed over once his pair's name came into the equation.

He tugged at his ponytail, furrowing his brow with concentration. Suddenly his head whipped to the side to note that it was nearly time for class to be released. He was on his feet in seconds, excitement and agitation racing through him.

 _I want my mate_!

: :

Class ended with the kids heading to lunch with the teachers herding them to the bathroom to wash up. Law released a heavy exhale, exhausted from the roil of emotions and the utterly despicable feeling of being drugged at the same time. His head pounded with a headache, nausea made it difficult to concentrate - but he whipped his head around to catch sight of the clock, excitement and agitation causing his blood to heat. He could finally get back to Sanji.

 _I want my pair_!


	16. Chapter 16

**: : Sixteen**

* * *

The glint of his hair underneath the sun caught Law's attention. From the back, the long, sloppy strands barely restrained in a tie caused him to remember how frumpy the kid was back then. Always with somewhat fashionable sense, Sanji had made sure to dress the part of royalty but once he was with the other boys, his hair was always the victim. The moment it became apparent that Sanji was no longer a child was the moment the image was ruined. So when Sanji reached up to tug and twirl at his hair, seeing his mannish fingers abruptly reminded Law that he was _not a child_.

It made him feel filthy and relieved at the same time – an impossible mixture. As an adult, he could acknowledge his interest in fulfilling a physical obligation, but he also felt dirty for having these feelings in the first place.

 _I'm_ supposed _to feel this way without my own choice represented in the issue_ , he thought bitterly.

A month after his arrival, both of them acknowledged that their pheromones had lessened with agitation. They could at least sit in the same room without erupting into a rage at the sight of each other. It was also steadily obvious at the same time that they were _looking_ at each other.

Not that it had magically changed for the better. Each of them could tell the other was acrimonious about it, thinking the very same thing.

 _It's only because I_ have _to_ , they thought. _If I had a choice_ …

"Hey, shithead," Sanji snapped at him, picking up cardboard box and shaking it as he approached Law. "Don't just lay there and lounge about like we're nothing but servants for you. Get your shitty ass up and help move these things."

" _Hah_?" Law snapped back at him, piercing him with a glare.

"Honestly, we've got it," Penguin spoke up with hesitation, wincing as he looked to his secret weapon – the stuffed rabbit - just in case a fight broke out. Shachi straightened up with a confused frown, unsure of what he'd missed. The apartment assigned to the three of them was considerably small – quite honestly, it seemed like Shanks was counting on the pair to get along and move on together to their own love nest. But his optimism was just that. Sanji's spontaneous combustion had lessened just slightly, but not enough to allow him any confidence.

So the apartment Law shared with the two men was nestled in a small building just outside the city limits – in fact, his window overlooked farm fields and the main road towards the facilities in the cliff side, where the omegas resided during their heats. He chose it because it was small and he didn't expect to fill it with 'stuff' just yet. His future was still uncertain here. All around them were young adults and teenagers mature enough to handle their own schedules. Law felt like he was rooming with children all over again, and it made him grumpy.

He was laying in his room, resting against of his unrolled futon, avoiding the unnecessary mess when Sanji interrupted his musing.

"This is your home too," Sanji insisted, dropping the box into Law's lap, forcing him to catch it. It was full of canned goods and basic kitchen supplies; donations they'd received as part of the package of moving into their own place. The others were arranging temporary pieces of furniture about, as well as moving in and finally unpacking their things into seemingly unsteady pieces of shelving in their rooms. Sanji was there to 'monitor' Law but he was busy making the area livable; which meant installing blinds and bringing pieces of decoration into the apartment that seemed completely unnecessary. Parts of the decoration process was stuffing plants they saw outside into painted pots, and Law didn't know why Sanji thought that they'd even bother watering them – if they wanted to look at plants, they'd go outside to do it.

Admittedly, Law wasn't even certain what to do about the kitchen content. If he wasn't living under Doflamingo's servant maintained castle, he'd had little kids doing all the work for him, or even Penguin and Shachi handling the smaller details when they were roaming free. But he was tired of the omega's constant nagging – Law got up from his futon and slammed the box down onto one of the kitchen counters, glaring at the empty cupboards. Glancing around the small kitchen, with a separate stove apart from the counters and the window that looked like it had some sort of pull down shade against the window, Law realized he had no idea what to do in a kitchen – other than eat.

He ended up filing everything under alphabetical order and in rows, regardless of content. Once Sanji noticed what he was doing, his tension mounted so strongly that Law coughed under the heated pressure of air. Without much motivation behind it, he slowly withdrew the last can he'd set down.

"This is only temporary," he said low. "This place, everything about it…there's no point putting in this effort like it'll be the last place we'll lay our heads down."

"So, you _do_ have plans to leave," Sanji stated, unblinking.

Law frowned at him, ever so slowly reaching and pulling down another carefully set can. "You think I'll leave here _alone_?"

"This has been something you've talked about since we were kids. Doesn't make sense to leave now that you found it – "

"As _children_. We are not children anymore. It's our destiny to rot elsewhere."

"Because that's what this life is all about, _rotting_. We left behind that shit at Spider Miles just to _rot_ in our own shit somewhere else. That was the point of all of this shit, was _rotting somewhere_." Sanji gave Law a long look of reproach. Law refused to allow his omega attempt to shame or chastise him, almost unblinking himself as he matched the stare with one of his own.

"You can't expect us to live the rest of our lives here," Law then said. "Amongst children and aspiring adventurers…"

"… _Us_? _Our_?"

"Was the separation really that fun for you? I noticed," Law then said, abandoning his effort to lean against the counter with one slim hip, "that you and Nami have a nice relationship going on between you two…"

"Yeah?" Sanji gave him a look of confusion. " _So_?"

"Yet, I don't see any minis running around…"

Sanji gave him such a flat look that Law smirked at him, fiddling with the can he'd brought down earlier and hadn't let go of.

"Therefore, when I speak of _us_ and _we_ , it's only obvious _you'll_ be tagging along in _my_ wake. As such, I find it curious to explore what the rest of the world looks like. _Without_ Doflamingo's hand in it. Maybe settle in an isolated village that's not easily accessible to the world. Far… _far_ …from children."

"That's the thing," Sanji said, jerking the can out of his hand and forcing him aside with a hard bump of his own hip to fix the cupboard himself, "I don't agree to your fancies. I happen to like being around people, I'm an extrovert. The plus side of this fucking thing is that we'll be together, which will handle my heats – _your_ ruts – therefore not causing that much trouble wherever we go. So I prefer something in the open, something grand – not under the control of some dictator, not in the threat of a neighboring territory. Therefore, going along with your plan to live somewhere isolated is not on my list of things to do."

" _Cute_. But I make the decisions that reflect suitably for the pair of us."

"I don't give a shit if you're king or queen – you don't make the decisions for me." Sanji slammed shut a cupboard over Law's inhale of breath, adding, "Never again."

"I can't believe you still resent me for saving your ass," Law said, bracing himself against the counter and making it impossible for Sanji to move around him to rearrange the other cupboards. "Do you truly expect an apology from me, Mr Blackleg?"

He said the last name mockingly, having learned that this was what Sanji was using to claim himself as, rejecting his Vinsmoke connection.

Wearing a sullen expression, Sanji stuffed his fists into his pockets, blowing hair from his face. After a few moments, he looked Law in the eye. "The only thing I resent is that you chose to leave us."

Law wasn't going to waste effort on that. But he said ever so patiently, "There was no other choice."

"What would I know of it if you've spoken nothing about it?" Sanji waited for Law to say _something_ , but the older man just continued to look at him like he was a child begging for scraps. It infuriated him. "Therefore, I'll keep my resentment until you start sharing."

"You might be older than you were then, but you're still not a man. I'm not going to have this sort of conversation with you until you're old enough to understand what having to make sacrifices mean."

"Oh, shut up! Stop holding my age against me! I grew up without my mate," Sanji insisted with frustration, "and now I don't know _you_ , but every shred of shit that leaves your mouth is exactly the same sort of shit I'd expect from _that_ kid back then. So who's calling _who_ a kid, here?"

Law shrugged. "And never was I appreciated for what I did give."

Sanji wore a sullen expression, then looked down at the floor while guilt hit him. After a moment he said, " _Fine_. Maybe in time you'll get my appreciation, but I sure as hell won't share that with you right now. This thing, this – marriage - is a give and take, not one ruling over the other - !"

Law snickered, shaking his head. "You poor thing. Let me explain something to you - the role of an omega means it just does what it's told – "

" _Fuck the roles_! Let me tell ya something – _none_ of this you're living in now is something that is of any resemblance of that out there! You don't have to play those stupid games you're playing now, where you're testing your boundaries and shit to see what you can get away with! I see what you're doing, and it's unnecessary!"

Law crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you see me standing here in front of you? Or do you think you're addressing a ghost?"

Sanji gave him an impatient look, not understanding the question. Without warning Law flicked his nose, and Sanji erupted with a roar of flames, causing the smoke alarm above their heads to signal a warning. As he sought to calm himself, Law said lightly, "The things I did to survive are the things that allow me to stand here in front of you, today. So don't ever call into question my way of survival. You should be grateful, a child who has never known that sort of thing living the life you do because you've always had someone taking care of those details for you, but I find it interesting that you have the balls to address me like you have power over me. Allow me to remind you that you'll never catch up."

"I wouldn't have to if you'd just stand still for a bit!" Sanji said with frustration, rubbing at his nose.

"As far as I'm concerned, you'll always remain a child. Being coddled and forced to avoid the troubles that a normal man would find worrisome. Why don't you thank me for the effort of doing the dirty work for you? You're very thankless for the things you accuse me of…"

Sanji allowed him a smirk of satisfaction. Once he had himself composed, the heat slowly died away. He reached up to pull at some loose strands of hair around his shoulders, drawing Law's annoyed attention to the action.

"All right," Sanji then said lightly, expression changing to allow him to flutter his eyes and changing his sullen frown to a bright smile. The abrupt change caused Law's smirk to drop with caution. "When you put it that way, I guess all I have to say is, carry on, o mighty alpha."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Sanji reached out and lightly squeezed Law's left finger, rubbing a fingertip over the scar that was still visible despite his tattoo. "We were married pretty young," Sanji said slowly, watching and waiting for the older man's reaction, "so it makes sense that you still want to see me as that child. You want to preserve that time."

"Are you suggesting that I…" Law trailed off, then reddened with his own anger, swatting the other man's hand away from him while Sanji had the chance to smirk back.

"But I'm not a child, not anymore," Sanji pointed out smugly. "I know what the touch of another person's hands mean. I'm not a virgin for you to pervade."

"Thank god," Law muttered, despite feeling his eye twitch. "Because the moment I decide I can act on my marital duties is the moment I decide you're less than a fucking farm animal."

"Because fucking farm animals really carried you this far – "

" _That's not what I meant_!"

"Why are you so flustered?" Sanji asked with a hugely patronizing tone, giving him an exaggerated look of concern.

"I'm not _flustered_!"

Sanji then smiled at him with such condescending action that Law's neck and face flushed brilliant purple. " _Wow_ , so this is what it feels like to win…"

"This isn't a fucking competition, asshole!" Law snarled at him, hands curling into fists. "You took something and turned it into something completely different! You know what I meant! I can't even talk to you like a fucking adult, because you play too much - !"

Sanji reached up and patted him lightly on the cheek. " _Shh_ ," he whispered. "Your veins are doing that weird bulgy thing again. Consider your blood pressure, old man. Or continue. Give yourself a heart attack, whichever works to ensure my freedom."

Law exploded with rage, shoving him away and walking out from the kitchen. In the air, Sanji made a winning notch, and Law slammed the front door behind him as he walked off to cool his head. Penguin and Shachi exchanged looks that shared exasperation between them.

Those lingering in the halls scurried away from Law once they recognized his mood, and Law huffed, running his hands though his hair with agitation as he paced in front of the door. He thought he was conditioned to withstand verbal instigation, considering years of living with Doflamingo, but Sanji brought out a different sort of anger in him. Either Law was allowing himself to be too involved in the shit Sanji said, or it was his damned instincts pulling him to the edge. It was close to Sanji's monthly heat, and he could smell it – he figured that was what caused the agitation.

But it drove him nuts; even when they were kids, Sanji was still capable of rocking him from his stool.

 _Ugh, I_ fell _for that shit_! he thought with exasperation, clutching the strands momentarily. Then he froze in place before slowly drawing his hands down to examine them. His skin had reddened ever so slightly where Sanji had touched him, but hadn't broken out into violent hives. He touched his face, checking for the familiar rash. Striding towards the nearby window, he checked his reflection – it was red where Sanji had touched him, but smooth, bump-free. He realized that his skin was slowly starting to accept the bastard's touch.

Relief and horror filled him at the same time.

: :

Nami was uneasy as she hugged herself, watching the alpha male look upon her things with what could be described as a disgusted expression. Her apartment overlooked the sea – a direct view of the far away natural wall allowing her to see movement should anyone chance the destructive properties.

She was a naturally talkative person, but seeing Law after so many years seemed to trigger long combated memories of her own childhood. She barely recognized the teenager she'd met in this man that oozed uncomfortable attraction; including her own. She was horrified to admit that this creature had pheromones oozing just from standing there – she wasn't a sub gender but she was definitely a woman and there was no denying his presence. At the same time, he triggered her horrible past to the forefront. She'd put off meeting him because of these reasons.

Sanji was so tense that it was a struggle for her to breathe – both of them seemed to radiate so much tension between them that oxygen felt as if it had sucked right out of the room. It was absurd how Shanks trusted them to be on their 'best behavior' together. Neither of them looked any closer from backing down from each other, and their voices strained when they addressed each other. She knew about the skin reactions both of them possessed, so it made sense that each of them were wearing long sleeves and pants on a day that invited lighter clothing. Law looked more like a moving shadow in all black while Sanji stood out in a floral printed shirt with a clashing colored scarf, hair braided over one broad shoulder. He was still barefoot while the boots Law wore gave him inches he didn't need.

There was something different about this person – Nami couldn't place it. She didn't know if it were just the self confidence after growing into a man, or _he_ was changed; it made her mind spin trying to figure it out.

But she acknowledged her own gratuity for his efforts all those years ago. If it wasn't for him, who knows where she'd be today?

Drawing up some bravery, she said, "Well? What do you think of this _hag_ now?"

Law looked away from her treasures – homey decorations and shiny, beautifully crafted pieces of art – and looked directly at her. It took all of Nami's effort not to tremble or hunch under his amber gaze. She almost covered her chest when his eyes noticeably dropped to her chest.

"You've blossomed," he murmured without any change of expression, meeting her eyes. "Into a _super_ hag. What of it?"

Nami's face filled with insult as Sanji exhaled heavily. She felt her mind whirl with some semi-confusion. "All these years away, and you haven't changed a bit."

"Oh, I have," he said, leaving the suggestion in the air as he turned to look at her Polaroid pictures. "Who are the rest of the idiots? Some of them I recognize."

Nami glanced at Sanji to see if he'd answer, but he was biting the inside of his cheek to keep from responding. He seemed indifferent to her agitation. Inhaling deeply, she pointed out each smiling face in turn. "This is Ace, Ussop, a cool guy named Franky, that's Zoro, Sabo, and Luffy."

She watched him take in their faces, but then he reached out and crushed that picture within one hand, causing her to squeak with protest.

" _Luffy_ ," he muttered.

She understood, glancing at Sanji's bitter expression. "Yeah, he's…a late bloomer, they said."

Law pierced her again with a long look. "Do you take any form of birth control?"

She was stupefied to the question, mouth flapping open. She looked to Sanji to see if he'd say anything, but he was glaring so fiercely at Law that Law noticed it. The tension racketed all of a sudden, and to prevent some sort of bloodshed, she said quickly, "I _don't_! That's a stupid question, how can you ask that?"

Law managed to look at her, done trying to kill his mate with just a look. "Just in case," he said smoothly, and despite her earlier feelings, she could help but feel that tickle of interest in the middle of her stomach. Dreadfully considering a brief fantasy that made her feel rotten at the same time.

He then looked to Sanji before heading towards the door. It was absurd how tall he was. He filled out all his gangly limbs properly, and it was very difficult to see him as the teen he was.

"Bullshit's going to need it," Law then added. "Luffy's arrival here will be within months."

Nami looked irritated, losing that earlier spark of attraction. "I read my stuff. Bonded omegas can't have other alphas' babies, and how _dare_ you speak like that of him?"

"He and I are playing a little game, Ms Hag," Law told her, opening the door. "So far, he's winning."

It slammed shut behind him, and Sanji erupted with flames licking at his upper torso, causing Nami to cry out with alarm and brace away from him. Once he was able to control himself, he clutched his hands together and breathed in deeply. Tentatively, she reached out to touch those clutching hands with her own sweaty grasp. He quickly shook off her grasp before she remembered that touch from others caused a reaction to his skin. Stalking out to the balcony, his hands shook as he yanked his cigarettes from his capris and lit one with a puff.

"It's a defense mechanism," Sanji then told her, clearly rattled. "Talking shit like that – I've figured it out."

"He is _horrible_ , Sanji," Nami insisted, exhaling gustily.

"He's _afraid_. See, I figured it out," he then said, looking as if he were lightening up, "back then, he was just a kid. He had vulnerabilities and fears and insecurities – but, _understand_ , while we all had a tremendously horrible threat to life at that time, he was at a point where he could have backed down and stayed that kid, passing the buck onto someone else to take responsibility over us. But he didn't. He chose to stay and change and took over the responsibility. Kids at that time, what do we know other than what we fear, right? Every single time he and I reached a point where we could get along, something _happened_. And because of those things, he's resolved it within himself that nothing can happen if he'd just keep himself from lowering his guard!"

Nami gave him a skeptical look, unable to think of things that way. All she could truly feel right now was the weight of her memories, the trauma of a life she'd left behind still whispering its content behind her back.

"Why…? Sanji, that's…" she sputtered, unable to formulate her thoughts well enough to speak them aloud.

"I had to grow up to understand what was being said to me," Sanji said, exhaling smoke as he trapped that cigarette between his teeth and drew out another. Nami watched him with concern as he lit that one, and then alternated between smoking both of them. He was clearly affected despite what he was saying. "So it makes sense to draw up a wall to protect self against a man that delved into every one of your insecurities to make you vulnerable before him. Law had to do that, Nami. For however many years he spent with Doflamingo, he needed walls."

"So, you're excusing his horrible words and actions, to take pity on him?"

"I'm _saying_ , now that I understand him," Sanji alternated his hands, inhaling too much smoke. Coughing in a fit as Nami watched him with both concern and revulsion. Once he was able to breathe, he insisted raspily, "I can control myself better."

"… _right_ …"

"I _meant_ , once I delve into his mind, I can see this. I can! I can see this and understand _why_ he's doing by what he's saying and - !"

"Sanji, this sounds like another one of your mad ramblings," Nami murmured, taking the nearly finished cigarette from him and flicking it over the railing. His hand was shaking as he brought the new cigarette to his mouth.

"No, it makes perfect sense," he said around it, looking rejuvenated. "He can talk shit however much he wants to – he wants a reaction from me, he wants me outside of that wall so he can feel safe inside where he is. The more control he feels, the sturdier the ground is beneath his feet. We're starting to align, Nami. I can breathe, now, without erupting at the sight of him sharing my air. Now I can _think_. Now I can _see_. He's still that insecure kid hiding behind that sword of his – he's scared, and this is the only way he can deal. He thinks he doesn't deserve this world we found, and he's probably had to do some inexcusable things that keep him up at night. But he's just as mad as I am."

"I can't do it. Those things he says…like, they'd drive me crazy to hear that kind of abuse constantly – he was talking that way as a kid, too, Sanji. There's no excuse – all of us had horrible experiences, why should he be excused?"

Sanji looked down at the cigarette in hand, fingers shaking a little. One of the cooks at the kitchen he'd used to work had turned him onto the habit – but he could only smoke them when he wasn't in heat. It happened to soothe the nervous energy he had racing around him otherwise.

With some worry, Nami stepped off to his side and impatiently snatched the loose tie from his braid. She used her nails to rake the strands into a tighter bunch, then re-braided it with a look of concentration on her face. Once she was done, he pulled out enough strands to cover one side of his face – messing it up all over again. She gave up as he was done arranging his thoughts into a somewhat useful order.

" _Because_ , if he were a horrible person, we wouldn't be talking about Luffy being a threat," he said quietly. Nami's face lit up as she remembered this. "That day in the meadow, we could have been rounded up alongside him. Us boys wouldn't have found our way to the sea if we hadn't perfected navigating abilities that he instilled in us because we were just stupid kids and he trusted two guys that happened to worship him for saving them…these things that allowed us to the island, Nami, are the things we should be thankful for him for. So the shit he speaks now – at the back of my mind, I can forgive him. Only I know certain things about him that I can remember and can see – I think that you should, too."

Nami exhaled evenly. The unsettled feeling in her chest didn't lighten up nor go away. But she saw Sanji's point.

"It won't be easy," she admitted.

"It's not supposed to be," he said, finishing up his cigarette and tossing that over the edge of the balcony. "The day it'll be easy is the day when everything goes wrong."

"Don't curse us!" Before he could hurry away, she snatched his arm – making sure the material of his sleeve prevented skin to skin touch. Awkwardly, she asked, "So, what…what do you plan to do when Luffy gets here?"

Sanji managed an equally as awkward shrug. "We've got a few months, Nami. Surely…something will change."

"They have Franky and Ussop with them, Sanji," Nami reminded him tightly. "The boat down at the lagoon wasn't something that was shoddily made. And Luffy is persistent. There's plenty of material on the mainland that they can use to construct if he decides he can't wait."

Sanji stared at her for a few moments, then sheepishly said, "It's so weird talking of him like this, Nami. I'd rather not."

"But you have to think of these things before it's too late - !"

"I can sense it – him – I sensed Law before he even came close to the perimeter. If nothing happens…then that boat at the lagoon is something we'll take away from here." Working his lower jaw from side to side, Sanji added, "I can do this. If nothing happens between us, then I'll remove us both from the island. I'll trick him if I have to…"

Pressing her lips tightly together, Nami watched his face shifted with unease. She accepted the plan. Uncomfortably, she then said, "Then you better check it out to make sure it's ready when that day comes. Or get the fucking over with, whichever."

Holding his mouth grimly, Sanji said, " _Right_. Guess we'll head down to the lagoon first."

"What, you can't imagine yourself doing it with him? Like, if you didn't know him personally, admit it, you'd look – "

Sanji flushed because he had been _looking_. But he managed a look of disgust, shivering. "Ugh, so _gross_ …it's so weird to imagine, I'd…rather not…"

"You're not kids anymore."

"I know, that makes it…anyway. _Weird_. If anyone asks, don't tell them where we're going. Ussop's not supposed to have that boat."

She then watched him leave, shaking her head ever so slightly. "Good luck," she then murmured.

: :

The lagoon boasted of a beautifully untouched shore. The surrounding rock formations around it allowed sound to echo around it. Deep enough to push a ship out from the formations, some type of sea animals were already taking advantage of its depths to exert water into the air, the sand billowing up around them to hide what they truly were. Fish scurried close enough to get caught on the beach, beating their bodies with tremendous efforts back to water deep enough to allow them to skirt away to safety. Seagulls were perched along the walls, calling out noisily as they raided untended nests.

Sanji pointed off to a cave that looked accessible only by the changing tide. He pulled off his scarf, letting it drop to the sand. His cigarettes followed, Law looking down at them with disapproval. It alarmed him that the kid started smoking.

"There's a boat in there that Ussop was working on," he said, walking into the refreshingly cold water that instantly caused his skin to react with goosebumps. He'd rolled his pants hems up to his knees to prevent them from getting wet. "Once it's completed, we can leave from another opening in the back that opens out away from the island. Like a tunnel."

Law wondered why they had a boat in the first place. Before he could give depth to that question, Sanji answered, "They made it so that they could leave whenever they wanted, and not on the cargo ship's timeline. Franky's a former shipwright from the mainland. Ussop is his self-appointed apprentice."

"The one with the scars? He's…half man and half something else."

"Yep. He did it to himself." Sanji then looked at him with consideration. "If you should ever fight him, you could only fight the human parts, right? You can't touch machine."

Law looked back at him without answering that, causing Sanji to smirk.

"You can only assimilate the living."

Law clutched his sword, watching the movement of the underwater animals instead of delving into other questions. "What are those things?" he asked apprehensively, noting that they were now drifting towards the man wading into the water. "Get out."

"They're not dangerous, they're _manatees_. They adapted to these waters and frequent this side of the island because of their food sources." Sanji reached down and ran his hand over the back of one mammal, watching it pull away with a shudder of the water. It drifted away, causing the others to follow after it.

Feeling ridiculous for his earlier command, Law sneered off into the other direction.

"It's been awhile since I've come down here, so let's go see how far along they are," Sanji told him, Law looking back in time to see him dive underwater and disappear. With a start, he surveyed the surface, looking for any sign of the other man. Water made him nervous – always had, ever since Sanji tried to _drown_ him in that river years ago. Venturing close to the gently lapping water, he wondered if he was expected to follow in that same fashion - his face reflected his displeasure before it slipped into worry, noticing that Sanji did not come back up. He waited to see blood on the surface, panic starting to flare up despite himself. Lowering his sword to his side, he made to withdraw it from its sheath when he heard Sanji shouted out, "Do your parlor trick and get over here!"

Surprised, Law saw that he was climbing out from the water, already within the cave. He relaxed his guard, feeling stupid for his earlier feeling. But he exchanged himself with the man, then exchanged _him_ with a shell on the narrow rocky surface. Sanji led him down the cavernous tunnel, where the ship came into sight minutes later. It was quite big for the amount of space it was allotted. And ridiculously cartoonish in sight. But in the ceiling was a variety of dangerously open holes that allowed the sun to peer through, illuminating the cave enough for Law to see the ship's details.

He wondered how they had managed to bring all the supplies down to fashion this ship from the hull up. He would have to look into how ships were made; he made that mental note to himself once they reached the city. Walking up to it was quite a feat in itself – there were thin, narrow rocky trails extending from the cave sides that allowed them to do so, right over a body of shimmering, dark water that gave him no indication of how deep it was. Every step he took wasn't sturdy and had him cautiously gripping the rough wall at his side. Considering the tide, he wondered how much lower the ship could flounder before any catastrophic damage happened. But he noticed that it was securely bumping against one wall against a series of rubber bumpers that were nailed into the cliff side.

"It almost looks complete!" Sanji exclaimed with amazement. He took to the trail with all the grace and steadiness of a damn mountain goat. "The masts are up! But no sails – looks like they were working on the inside. All their tools are still up there."

"Why was this produced so secretively?" Law asked, lowering his voice once he heard it echo off the walls.

"The cargo ship is the only way in and out of the island. Smugglers are found and killed. _Duh_."

"So, you all want me to follow rules you yourself don't follow?"

"Waiting for the cargo ship's schedule seemed absurd. They wanted to leave at their own notice, not theirs."

Law noticed Sanji referenced them as a separate entity from himself; which suggested that Sanji wasn't going to include himself in the first place. Which made him feel a little angry all over again. With a heavy exhale, he then said, "So, you all share the idea that this island is oppressive."

"For good reason. You shouldn't find a reason to knock it. It's flourished here for years." Sanji then looked at him as he frowned at the lion's head. "It's something to consider when they're on their way back here."

"Like I should be afraid of that brat?"

"This island isn't here to nurture our stupid egos, _stupid_. Look at what _we_ did alone," Sanji snapped at him, Law frowning over at him. "So imagine Luffy's efforts. That little shit runs entirely on his instinct – he thinks about shit later. To get to you, he'd do whatever it took, no matter who was in his way."

"But isn't the thought of having two men fight over you flattering?"

Sanji stared at him with revulsion while Law wore a sarcastic smile. Heat built and expanded around the man, automatically drying out his clothes. After settling his sword against one hip, Law held his hands out to warm his palms.

"Thank you. It's a little chilly down here."

"It's so great that you find these things amusing," Sanji then said tightly. "But I'm not laughing. The thought of losing my friend or my mate because of some stupid biology thing doesn't tickle any of my funny bones."

"Once you lose someone, it gets easier for you. Then you start recognizing your priorities, Mr Blackleg, so it doesn't hurt as much. You wouldn't know too much about that aspect, so consider my words of wisdom as helpful advice."

"Yes, turning out to be as big of a jerk as you are – _yes_ , that sounds like a lot of _fun_."

"Life isn't fun. And I was never known to be fun."

"Life can be different, but you choose to remain the same."

"I choose to _live_. That's different."

"Yeah. You choose to live in fear. You keep talking shit about how experienced you are, yet _your_ experience caused you to retreat because you are sick and tired of feeling let down."

"Heh. Cute. Listen to you. Trying to bark big to show aggression. None of your words bother me, any. So," Law continued, turning away from him to look at the ship while shouldering his sword, "how does this thing work? I assume you know how to use it."

"Well…no…none of us here really have any boating experience."

"Oh. So we're expected to flee on it, yet hit the wall – "

"You can do your little trade thing – "

"I have to see my subject before I can do it, I don't teleport blindly, moron."

"You have telekinesis, right? Can't you just lift and send - ?"

"I can throw, pull or push something of this size _easy_ , but consider the bigger they are, the heavier they are for me to manipulate, Mr Blackleg. Going through that wall the first time, the ship was forced to follow the natural pull of the currents moving in and out from a good distance away. If I were to lift it before the currents began to pull it, the hull would be affected by the trees' height below until it hit air. From there, depending on the wall's size and depths, it would be a matter of concentration to keep it in air. Meanwhile, I have to see where I'm dropping it to make sure I'm not dropping it onto rocks hidden underneath the surface and it'll be exhausting enough to drain me of energy right after. If I should drop too soon, the currents would just suck us back in. So, _no_ , I can't just lift and send."

"…I guess even alphas have their limits. And stop calling me that, it sounds creepy when you say it."

"I'm following the children's example by addressing those in authority by a proper title. Amuses me silly when they struggle with my name. They get the Time Out Corner for not saying my name _right_. So I developed the habit to be a good example for them."

Sanji looked at him with disgust as he looked quite proud of himself. "And this is why I call you mini-Doffy, dipshit. For shit like this. Must make you feel _real_ good to carry on that petty shit."

Law looked at him with an affronted frown, then really grew insulted once he realized what he himself was doing. "Stop saying 'shit', it makes you sound crass," he mumbled.

After a few moments, Sanji said, "you don't even realize you're doing it, do you?"

"Doing _what_?"

"Being a fucking asshole. It's so natural for you, you don't even catch yourself doing it until I point it out!"

Law faced him, wearing a rigid expression. "Do you truly expect me to be a good person after everything I've been through?"

"I _expect_ you to know what kinda hell that is and treat everyone the way you want to be treated. If you're so fucking tired of that life, then why are you still carrying it?"

Exhaling through his nose, Law reached out and tucked strands of Sanji's loose hair behind his ear. Sanji's skin sizzled with the touch, causing him uncomfortable heat. He jerked his head away.

"Aw, this is so _cute_ ," Law then murmured with heavy sarcasm. "So childishly optimistic and positive! That's what this island has done for you despite you being a stupid land cow, and I'm mighty thankful that I did what I did all those years ago for you. Sacrificed my own comfort for yours. And yet, here you are, barking in my face about what I should be…"

Sanji wore an expression of displeasure and guilt, his frown heavy.

Without warning, Law grabbed his loose bang and pulled hard, causing Sanji to hastily steady himself by bracing against him. "You'll not lecture me on what I should be when you were given all the comforts. I expected a little more gratitude from you, not demands. Anymore crying from you regarding the unfairness of my attitude and outlook, and I'll permanently remove your damn vocal chords. Is this in anyway unclear to you?"

Sanji stared hard at him then yanked his head back, wearing a bitter expression.

"Just do as you're told, and I'll be in a better mood," Law then told him sternly. "You _at least_ owe me that."

A firestorm of fury, impatience and defeat swarmed about Sanji's insides. It wanted to burst, uncontrolled, away from him as a way to indicate his mounting frustration with Law's seemingly unchangeable attitude. He felt like he had no control over himself nor with any way of overcoming the wall Sanji had spoken of to Nami. The older man was just too rigid and strong; too set in his ways to do anything differently. He grit his back molars together as Law looked back at the ship, wondering how they were expected to get up there. He wanted to explore it from the inside, see if there was a way where Sanji's friends had been considerate enough to make a special room for the Firestarter.

Sanji watched him for a few moments, thinking about how difficult and desperate he felt trying to accept that his alpha wouldn't ever let down his guard to relax. It seemed like all their lives they'd butted heads and challenged each other without backing down. Because he was desperate to prove himself to Law and Law desperate, above all else, to protect him.

It occurred to him right then that there was something he hadn't done.

As he inhaled deeply, he realized it wasn't going to be hard at all.

"Can everyone spring aboard like damn pogo sticks?" Law muttered to himself, unsure of how to board the thing. Once he realized the stillness behind him, he turned to look at Sanji. As soon as he saw Sanji standing there in silence, fiddling with the ends of his long side braid, Law felt suspicious. "Are you practicing your obedience already?"

When Sanji didn't respond, Law clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth and sneered at the ship. The erupting quiet grew maddening all of a sudden, and Law had to admit to himself that it drove a part of him crazy. He twitched and turned to look at him once more, Sanji wearing a sullen frown. His clipped demeanor looked much different from the one Law had seen earlier, so Law felt on edge. He glanced down at the water below and cautiously stepped away from it, certain Sanji was going to do something to dump him there. He gripped his sword tightly, confident he'd react fast enough to evade an attack if Sanji lunged at him.

"If it should make you feel better," Sanji muttered, the cave enough to carry his voice loud enough for Law to hear despite how low he spoke, "then…fine."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Law asked suspiciously, unable to stop himself from making a face.

Fiddling with his hair, Sanji continued to mumble. "One of us has to change to make this…marriage work. I've spent all these years waiting to be reunited with you again, and…complaining about what you are because of what you went through isn't doing either of us any favors. If you feel that you need all the control, then…"

He trailed off, finding that the words had to be ground out of him, his own stubbornness and pride making every word difficult to release. But he continued with, "… _fine_. I concede."

Law gave him a bewildered look, feeling that both words and attitude didn't match up to what Sanji was saying.

"… _What_?" he asked, uncertain of what was being said.

It was a struggle Sanji felt he had to overcome. He set his jaw tightly before reaching up to settle his hands over his eyes. Pressing hard enough to make them water. He then lowered them to give a big exhale and inhale before dropping to his knees and giving a deep bow, forehead to rock.

"I am grateful for what you've done for me," he then shouted, words muffled against the grain. "Thank you for your sacrifices! I apologize for causing you trouble! From this point on, I will not question your decisions and will obey your orders!"

Law straightened up, slightly appeased by this gesture. But he waited because he was absolutely sure this was a trick of some kind, something Sanji would do to allow him to let down his guard so he could strike at a vulnerable spot. This _kid_ was always trying to kill him. After several moments of looking at Sanji's bowed head, Law realized that he was being serious. He glanced around apprehensively, fingers tightening around his sheath.

When he realized that Sanji was waiting for some type of acknowledgement, Law debated on what to say. He still felt suspicious.

"Whatever," he then muttered. "Get up, this is embarrassing."

After a few moments, Sanji sat back on his heels – but Law noticed with alarm he wore such a defeated expression that his entire body stiffened up with revulsion.

"I'm sorry for being such a difficult kid," Sanji apologized low. "I caused you too much trouble throughout the years. I regret the error of my ways. From this point on…I'll be at your obedience."

"Okay, well…that's that. Not that it makes any difference to me."

"Whatever you take of it, I don't care," Sanji mumbled. "I'm just a stupid…land cow, anyway. What choice do I have? All I had after losing everything was my pride, and that's…what keeps us apart, even now. The more we butt heads trying to assert ourselves…nothing gets fixed. So…I'll step down. Then, perhaps, you'll find happiness."

"Are you _stupid_? Do you think _I'm_ stupid?" Law asked, insulted. "You just accused me of being mini-Doffy, and now you're prostrating yourself before me like one of his subjects would? You piss me off. You fucking shit head. If I hadn't hated you so much back then, I hate you now. Fuck you. Drown. _Die_. I hope those sea cows eat you."

Before Sanji could reply, Law was gone, replaced by a falling potted plant Sanji remembered putting on the rickety coffee table at the apartment. Frozen, he watched the pot roll and fall off the trail, landing in the water with a loud splash. The he processed the words spoken with anger and stood up, flaring with heat and flame.

" _WHAT THE FUCK_?" he bellowed furiously, losing his cool instantly. "You goddamn drama queen! You emotionally damaged _, butt chin shitty piece of shit_ – I give you the power and you throw it back in my face and get _pissed_? What the hell is _wrong_ with you? _What the hell do you want from me_? Come back here and answer my fucking questions! _Damn you_!"

Breathing heavily for some moments, Sanji struggled to pull himself together, flames licking around his shoulders and head as he grabbed his own hair with frustration.

Meanwhile at the apartment, Law was banging his head against the wall with his own defeat. _Ugh, I did it_ again! he thought to himself with immense exasperation. _I fell for that stupid shit! I reacted so stupidly - ! Why am I so_ stupid _? Why can't I keep my damn cool? What is wrong with me –why the fuck am I so fucking_ gullible _? How the fuck does he do this to rattle me like this?_

"Um," Shachi murmured with discomfort, hands up with a fretting motion as Law kept hitting his head. "Please stop doing that…"

"He's a telepathic _manipulator_!" Law snarled at him, forehead red as Shachi jerked away from him. "One of those – empaths, someone that can make one switch emotions before they can even control themselves! _That's what he is_!"

Confused, Shachi just stared at him.

" _And I keep falling for it_!" Law went on, twisting away from him and stomping to the kitchen to look for a cup. "I keep _falling_ for it, that stupid – that _child_ –that - !"

He dropped a cup onto the counter and paused in mid-pace, staring out the window.

"That's _right_ ," he then said to Shachi, looking resolved. _Slightly insane as well_ , Shachi decided with a wince. "That's exactly what I need to do. That's _exactly right_. I need to turn the tables on him. Thanks, Shachi."

He was gone in a moment, Shachi's confusion deepening as a shell replaced the man where he'd stood. Unsure of what happened, Shachi shrugged and returned to the couch to clean up the popcorn he'd dropped with Law's sudden appearance. The coffee table was broken from where Law had appeared, the potted plant replaced with a tiny rock.

"First of all," Law began, reappearing near the ship and twisting to see Sanji alit with flames, practically charring the entire area he stood. Hearing his voice, Sanji twisted with surprise to see that he'd returned, flames fanning out and smoke billowing away from him moments later. "The only reason why I left was because I was so pissed that I might destroy the only thing that could get me out of here. Not because of what you said or did, but to save _me_ the trouble. Second, I don't accept your stupid, lame apology. But you'll accept mine for _you_ getting all sensitive to what I had to say."

Sanji gave him a skeptical look, crossing his arms over his chest. "That's an apology?"

"Third, I'm not going to waste my precious breath trying to get you to see it my way, if you don't, you don't."

" _There_ it is…"

"Fourth, you ever present yourself as a fucking slave in my wake, I will slap you so hard your family, wherever they are, will feel it. Never has this stupid thing ever been a traditional pairing, and I hate _weak_ , stupid fools, so if you ever present yourself as a weak and stupid fool again, I will lose my boot in your ass and nine months later, you will be giving birth to leather shoes. _Do you understand_?"

Sanji stared at him in silence. Inwardly trying not to laugh and cry at the same time, because he did not understand what this guy wanted from him. Either his obedience, or his defiance. It didn't make any sense.

"We are going in the same direction," Law insisted, back of his hand against his palm. "You have no choice in the matter, yet you make the choice to either cooperate or _cooperate_. The only time you do as I say is when it matters."

"…You confuse the fuck out of me."

Law frowned at him, then exhaled hard.

Sanji gave him a skeptical look, unsure of where to start. He was speechless. He reached up and fiddled with the ends of his braid, still wearing that expression.

"But I do accept your gratitude," Law then decided with finality.

With that he was gone and Sanji dropped his hands. Looking around the cavern, he continued to wear a confused expression. Back at the apartment, Law gave a victorious arm pump while Shachi looked at him with a start, dropping his popcorn at Law's surprising entrance.

"I win this one," Law bragged lightly, picking up his sword and heading to his room. "He couldn't say a fucking thing!"

Shachi blinked a few times, then slowly picked up his popcorn once more.

: :

Later that night, looking out the window, Sanji still wore a puzzled expression. He combed his shaking fingers through his hair, reflecting on the conversation and settling on the fact that he _still_ wasn't sure what sort of conclusion to come to. But intermingling with his thoughts, he had to admit to himself that he felt a little heat running through him at the thought of how forceful Law could be. He could start to think that perhaps he wouldn't mind having his hands on him, clutching at him with intensity. He shifted uneasily, feeling his face redden a little. It was nearly that time of the month - his back was starting to ache and he noticed a little more extra fluid in his pants after changing. His incoming heat was allowing him to expand on certain wants, so he was disappointed with acknowledging that.

Because now that he was an adult, Sanji knew he wasn't going to want just _hugs_ from his mate. And _because_ he was an adult, Law could respond to him based on his own ruts.

The idea was terrifying. They were _adults_ , now. He wanted to call out to Chopper to dose him up with suppressants but something inside of him was reluctant to do so. The words were strangled in his throat.

Maybe he just craved physical affection - maybe he just needed to cuddle...

He closed his eyes with frustration because now that he started thinking about it, the craving was starting to build. He reached behind him to rub at his lower back, and heard his own thoughts shift abruptly to a strong yearning.

 _Shit_! he thought in a panic. _That was too fast!_

In his room, while thinking about the conversation, Law found himself wondering if he'd prefer Sanji with his long hair down, or cut short. Both ideas were exciting. Shifting with discomfort, he could feel his breath quicken at how easy it was to think about how Sanji's wet clothes had silhouetted his form. He clapped a hand over his face, certain he was only reacting to Sanji's incoming heat. He was able to smell the faint tinges of it when they were alone and both of them were charged up. It made his body crave more when he grew aware of it.

 _If only it were a choice_ , _and not an obligation_ , he thought with frustration. Because if he had a choice...he'd rather Sanji cut his hair.


	17. Chapter 17

**: : Seventeen**

* * *

Two days later, it took Shanks most of the morning but he finally came across the alpha sitting on a large rock deep within the forest, wearing a manic expression while ever so slightly rocking himself. He noticed that the omega center built into the cliff side was in view but a considerable distance away. Cautiously, hand on the hilt of his scimitar just in case, Shanks ventured over with a light smile.

"Hey, stranger!" he greeted cheerily, seeing Law tense at the sound of his voice. Which suggested that Law hadn't even known he was there. "The school was concerned that you didn't show up for class, today."

With slow and relaxed action, Shanks took a seat nearby, smoothing out his jacket. "Y'know, we charge nothing for suppressants," he reminded Law gently.

Law resentfully clutched his sword with both hands, saying nothing.

"I guess I should be relieved that you're both not trying to kill each other again," Shanks reasoned. "The truth is, not only are you agitating yourself but you're agitating other sub genders on this island. They're going _crazy_ knowing you're out here."

Law looked at him with utter indifference, causing the older man to shrug.

"Most of the alphas are kids," Shanks continued, "but they sense you and they want to fight you. The omegas feel like you're targeting them – there's only about seven of them here right now, but they're locking themselves into panic rooms…"

When it appeared the alpha wasn't going to respond, Shanks then reached into his capris pockets, pulling out a small glass bottle. "Doctor Chopper wants you to take them. _Please_."

"There was some progress made," he added hastily, rattling them to catch Law's attention once more. Those amber eyes briefly flicked on the bottle and returned to gazing across the distance to the center. "Those blood samples you provided – _thank you_ – combined with Sanji's blood samples allowed our pharmacists to create a specialized suppressant formula that actually worked for him. A little too well. While Chopper was attending to the frightened group of omegas, Sanji overwhelmed the male nurses in charge of distributing the dosages and overdosed on his new suppressants trying to quiet his urges. The madness an omega endures trying to fight their urges doesn't allow a clear mind, I'm sure you understand. He's quite used to taking an obscene amount of suppressants so he wasn't listening when they were trying to explain to him that these are a new formula. The positive aspects of this situation is that Sanji is _fine_ – just absolutely dead to the world. On fire, of course. The negative part of this? Is trying to convince _you_ to take them so _you_ can stop causing this unintentional panic – "

"On the mainland, access to these things aren't that easy to obtain. If they can't control themselves and won't learn how to do so without being reliant on this island's pharmaceuticals, then that's too bad for them," Law said gruffly, folding his hands together and hunching with his elbows on his knees. "I'm not an alpha who lacks control over their ruts."

 _Well, yours is a different case than many_ , Shanks thought, struggling to stave his impressed musing for another time. _If only we can bottle_ that _up and distribute it to other alphas!_

"These suppressants will slow your thinking, Trafalgar," Shanks then said sternly. "We have the kids locked up in the alpha cages but you know how that goes – they'll do anything and everything they can to seek out the point of their aggression. They sense you, you're riling them up into a near uncontrollable aggression. In the end, this isn't all about you, Trafalgar. Put away your pride and start thinking about what effect you're having on others."

Law recognized that Shanks wasn't being encouraging – he was issuing Law an order. Yet, he didn't move.

" _Asleep_ , you say?" he muttered, Shanks frowning. "With the cause being an overdose of unfamiliar suppressants?"

Shanks heard the intention in Law's tone despite his words, and tensed. "…Don't."

"You say that center is impenetrable by alphas? I won't even have to penetrate it."

" _Trafalgar_ \- !"

Shanks stood up with a growl of impatience once Law disappeared from sight. He looked to the center with alarm, shaking his head. Emerging from the trees behind him, Benn chuckled. Shanks whirled to snarl at him, "Don't _laugh_! I was at full force with that guy!"

"You should've listened to Mihawk and let him alone," Benn told him, exhaling around his cigarette.

"That ass is in the middle of his morning nap and doesn't realize what's happening around here! He's driving me crazy, too!" Shanks exclaimed, hand to his head.

"That kid is not going to cause harm to anyone else unless they become a threat to either him or his omega," Benn said patiently. "If they're here together, then what's the harm of allowing them to be together?"

"Sanji hasn't consented."

"If you'd notice, _he_ hasn't either. You're only agitating the situation by forcing them apart. If you hadn't said anything about the overdose, Trafalgar would have just left him alone. He was fine just sitting here. Watch, once they're together, this…buzzing noise will go away," Benn added, waving a gloved hand around his head. Shanks frowned at him.

"Why didn't you do anything?" he asked curiously, picking up the bottle of suppressants he'd dropped. "If this sound is driving you mad…?"

"Because I'm not a weak alpha, and sounds don't hurt me."

Shanks glared impatiently at him.

"He wasn't attacking anybody, he wasn't targeting the other omegas. He deliberately kept to himself. He was watching the center and timing the workers' moving around outside with their appearance on the outside balconies," Benn then continued, Shanks looking at him with utter fascination. "He was already mapping out the center's insides to correctly teleport in and out, with the risk of going in blind."

"You just _stood_ here and _watched_ him do it? What's _wrong_ with you?"

Benn grinned lopsidedly at Shanks' impatience. "I was testing myself as well."

"There is too much machismo here on the island, and it's _suffocating_ me."

"Now _that's_ something an omega might say."

Shanks snarled at him before looking at the pills. He then sighed. "Then you better warn the gentle doctor to check on his patient's room. It's green here, but the undergrowth is capable of catching on fire."

"I think you're underestimating the pair of them, Shanks. We've had all these years to study Blackleg as an abandoned omega, whose reactions were _only reactions_ because he was abandoned for that amount of time. The boys mentioned that he was in perfect control of his pyrokinetic abilities when he was in Trafalgar's company. I think that once they're together, the situation will be fine."

"Besides," Benn added, lifting an eyebrow. "Are we going to allow them to remain unbonded? Or is something going to be done by the time that ship comes back with that group?"

Shanks frowned, giving a tight sigh.

"Miss Nami is an accomplished navigator," Benn continued. "The first few times navigating that wall and she's succeeded every single time. If those stubborn asses don't resolve their issues any time soon, she's cleared to take their secret ship," he made quotation marks with his fingers, Shanks automatically repeating the gesture, "and getting them away from the island before Luffy can sense that they're evading him."

"The secret ship," Shanks repeated, making the quotation marks once more, "is ready to go?"

"We finished the remaining construction and sealed the ship a few weeks ago. Rooms are stocked with supplies – they'll have to figure out the food situation on their own, but Blackleg is a good cook. Zeff taught him well. Nami knows how to haul up the sails and she knows how to commandeer the ship."

"And she's fine with this? She's…she still shows fear of men."

"I don't know why you worry unnecessarily about things, Shanks. Those two have no interest in her as a female, and she knows it. She won't allow her fear to rule her life. Most likely, she'll wait for that group to catch up with her and venture out with them. They can chase each other throughout the mainland all they want."

Shanks sighed noisily once more, shoulders drooping. Then he placed his palm to his face, sniffling. "Kids grow up so fast! One minute they're relying on you for a better place to live, then they're leaving you without so much as a goodbye…"

"This is the suffering of omegas, I suppose. Worrying and overthinking about every unnecessary detail…"

"Let's not start this alpha/omega argument right now." Shanks looked back at the center with trepidation. "Right now, both of them are still capable of destroying this island and harming innocent children with their actions. With his omega on fire and the threat of alphas at his back, where do you think Law will take him…?"

After some consideration, Benn said, "The lagoon. Plenty of sand and water to counteract the flames, and it's isolated from other people. Give them space. You don't want to walk in and be scarred by what you see."

Shanks winced, reddening with discomfort. "I should've given him a lecture on birth control, but I'm sure both of them are informed of that…"

"Oh, also, Mihawk said that once you're done here, he needs you to pick up cheese and bread. Perona won't be back until after her shift, and he knows he's going to wake up hungry."

"He's got _baboons_ obeying his every order, he doesn't need me to do that stuff! I'm a _grown man_ , I don't – _ugh_! I'm going to buy him that multi-grained wheat bread he hates, and stuff it with laxatives!" Grumbling, Shanks glared at the bottle of pills. He was startled when it was exchanged with some leaves, the abrupt lessening of weight and matter causing him to drop it upon reaction.

"Ah, problem solved," Benn said cheerily as Shanks scanned the trees and hillsides around them with alarm. "Let's go get this bread."

"You're not young enough to use that type of slang, old man."

: :

Law stared out at the lagoon. At his side, Sanji snored lightly, flames dancing over his body with calm flickering. Looking at the suppressants he took from Shanks, Law tried to focus his thoughts on the new formula that Shanks insisted worked. He wasn't a chemist, he wasn't sure how these things worked if both of their bloodwork was combined to making something that worked for suppressing both of their urges. It seemed to Law that with the ingestion of his DNA with Sanji's worked as a replacement for other needs that their nature cried for, and, combined with the necessary chemicals that calmed the urges, significantly reduced their monthly madness. But it wasn't a successful formula if Sanji's unconscious form felt it needed protection because they weren't completely aligned to co-exist, and Sanji probably sensed his presence; thus explaining his constant flame to protect himself unconsciously.

But Law was battling his own madness. All his thoughts were of Sanji. Every other sentence was Sanji's name and characteristics. He craved his smell, he craved his physical expressions, he craved his _presence_. It wasn't all necessarily sexual cravings - not like how it was exaggerated on the mainland while he grew up. Law absolutely _needed_ to be in Sanji's presence to breathe him in and that other stuff would come later, he supposed. Sure, he was ready to go but his thoughts kept him at a complete and utter stand still, buzzing around him like constant static.

The flames the omega was emitting weren't helping. Law couldn't smell him, he couldn't touch him, and this drug rendered Sanji completely unconscious so not being able to hear from him, with no reaction from him, no voice, no exchange of interaction – it drove Law crazy. He couldn't even formulate his own independent thinking to drag himself away to focus on his day to day issues. He had no idea what he had been doing up to this moment, with no memory of his conversation with Shanks. All he knew was that Shanks was there to tell him he was causing trouble and that was _it_. He had no idea Benn was even there.

It was frustrating. _Maddening_. It was a different sort of madness he'd experienced being away from Sanji. Sanji was _right there_ and Law couldn't be further away from him. He looked over at Sanji with menace.

 _I could drown you and you wouldn't even know_ , he thought with a grit of his teeth. _Drop you into the water and let those sea cows_ eat _you_.

 _But then I couldn't_ , he thought within that same instant. _I have to protect you from any sort of injury or death_.

 _But I could_.

 _I couldn't_.

 _I should_.

 _Shouldn't_.

 _Wake up, wake up, wake up –_ I _can wake him up_!

 _But if I did, we'd either fight to exhaustion or_ –

Law felt himself rocking again, torn between his decisions. He wished he had some sort of distraction. He found himself wondering with desperation where Penguin and Shachi were. He should've taken Chopper, too, but if the good doctor was attending to panicked omegas, so it wouldn't have been the greatest of ideas.

He stared at the water that noisily lapped up at the beach, seagulls crying in the distance. His brain buzzed with constant static that made it difficult to think clearly. He warred with himself for the right direction and against the pitiful voices that needed Sanji's attention. He couldn't remember sleeping since he acknowledged that Sanji was going into heat.

This was an absolute hell on Earth, to be a sub gender.

Without further thinking, he formed a Room. Conforming into his mate's body, Law became attuned to every nuance of it. He immediately came into contact with the body and mind numbing suppressants that nearly affected him just from assimilating. It alarmed him how easy his own body fall prey to it, so he braced himself against the ground and focused on the agents responsible for this. Most of it was already absorbed into Sanji's blood stream, so he drew what was remaining out from the cells that stubbornly held onto them. Grimacing, Law drew his hand back, watching these agents reform as blue splatters that immediately turned to ash within the burning flame. The sensation of being numb slowly fell away from him, and those flames grew brighter, more intense. He could feel Sanji coming into consciousness, his thought static very similar to his. He couldn't hear Sanji's thoughts, per se – but the reaction in his physical body that went with these thoughts' were cravings that told Law that Sanji needed to be in his presence, needed to hear his voice, needed his scent – all in the same litany as his.

Pulling out and away from him, Law dissolved his Room and braced himself more firmly on the sand as Sanji grumbled low.

It took several minutes for the omega to fully waken, but his flames died down as his confusion over his surroundings set in. He rolled over onto his side, noting the lagoon setting, then saw Law sitting a distance away from him.

He exhaled heavily, dust rising up from the sand he'd disturbed. Nothing was said for some time, while both of them struggled to get their thoughts and emotions settled. But once he was composed, Sanji slowly sat up, brushing himself off. He noticed that Law had used the fireproof curtains to drag him about, the material charred over the sand. But he was without any other convenient supplies, his hand moving to the small of his back to rub tenderly.

"Once you get ahold of yourself," he said low, "then go back and get my supplies."

" _What_ supplies?" Law asked bitterly, glowering ahead of him.

"Use your mega brain to figure it out. I'm not going to sit or walk around with soiled pants. Grab extra clothes, too."

Law wore an expression of aversion, like he just belatedly remembered the other unpleasant aspects of an omega's heat. Much like how Zoro's face had looked when Nami had asked him to stop by the store to buy her some period supplies, and he'd just asked what she needed those for.

Discomfort fell over them both for several minutes, silence heavy between them. But Law could sense the shift slowly and assuredly settling over them. The numbing static lightened significantly once he was able to attune himself to Sanji's presence. His thoughts weren't so focused on his cravings, but his body was starting to perk up with interest.

"I don't remember having to deal with that stuff back then," he muttered with heavy awkwardness.

"Because I was too embarrassed to tell you what the fuck was going on," Sanji grumbled.

He was very thankful he and Nami were close – the woman's helpful advice had been utterly welcome at times like these. While the substance wasn't similar as a period, it was quite close. His body produced more fluids as the result of fertility and required some extra care. It occurred to him that his mate was unaware of this - or purposefully blissfully ignorant. Whichever. But there was no point hiding it now that they were together and Law had _plans_ for them. Omegas didn't just have pretty heats that amped up their desire levels to mate; there were other things in between that needed to be dealt with.

Since it was the third day, it wasn't as bad but it would be noticeable. He needed a bath, he needed fresh clothes…

He noticed Law still wearing a discomforted expression.

 _No wonder he always wanted to go swimming_! Law thought with realization.

"If you can't do it, shit head, then send me back so I can!"

" _Shut up_ , I'm thinking!"

"Thinking about _what_?"

" _Ugh_ , shut up! Christ. I'll be right back," Law muttered, reddening as he stood, unable to look in the other man's direction.

"And bring back food and drinks. Also, some bedding. Also, my cigarettes – "

Law was gone before Sanji could finish, but the omega just pulled his knees up lightly to his chest, staring out at the lagoon with an awkward yet sullen frown to his face. It came to him with a sense of heaviness and awkward understanding that this was _it_. He didn't feel as antagonistic as he did when they were reunited. It was as if nature hastily discredited their aggression for drawing them together, forcing them to be reminded that they were _mates_. It was either cooperate or… _cooperate_.

He had no idea what had happened when he'd shoved his suppressant supply down his own throat to silence the madness, but he was also blissfully happy for the break in the insanity. He noticed the bottle Law had left behind, and crawled through the sand to retrieve it. The pink color told him that they were alpha suppressants. He rattled them within the bottle, knowing that they'd make him sick if he took them – they were designed for alphas, to settle their aggression and ruts. It made sense to him that Law didn't take them – the man was so incredibly stubborn. Rolling his eyes, Sanji tossed them aside. He wouldn't count on the older man to lower himself to taking them for their own comfort. He then got up, glancing around self-consciously, then undressed. He folded his clothes up neatly then hurried to the water. It was cold and uncomfortable but he'd rather be clean than anything else.

He was swimming for at least an hour before Law came back with his own pack, loaded with supplies. Sanji watched him sullenly, only his head from the nose up visible above the water. The manatees were swimming around him, a younger animal bumping up against him for attention while the mother nibbled at his long hair. Once he saw Law withdraw the omega center bag from his heavily loaded pack, Sanji reluctantly chewed on his lip and debated on how to get to it without flaunting himself onto the beach like some floozy.

He was _shy_ …and he was just a _kid_ when they last saw each other naked. It didn't matter right now that they were a married pair – there was still some reservations between them.

"Does that have all my toiletries in it?" he called out from the water, Law looking around with surprise. Once he spotted Sanji in the water, he made a face. But he opened up the bag and looked in with a sullen expression. Sanji reflected with bitter annoyance that the older man _still_ looked like a damn bratty teenager with that look of his…

"I don't know what this stuff is," Law answered gloomily. "That doctor packed it. Bottles of stuff, some…weird bandages, suppressants, vitamins…"

He suddenly reddened and dropped the thing onto the sand. "Come get it."

"Turn away and cover your eyes," Sanji then demanded, pulling his hair out of the manatee's grasp.

" _Are you freaking serious_?"

"Just do it!"

Law stared out at him like Sanji had sprouted a bean stalk from his head.

"I don't want you spying on me like a pervert!"

"Oh _for fuck's sake_ …"

"Sit there and face the other direction and cover your goddamn face with a blanket, or something."

"Like I've never seen a man's body before – "

"Oh, you saw a lot of naked men?"

"I am an _alpha_ , I am – my powers are based on medical action, _of course_ I've seen - !"

"I'm no prude, but I'm not going to walk naked around you," Sanji then warned him, pulling his hair once more from the manatee nibbling at it.

After some tense moments of Law standing with his back to him, Sanji musing that Law's voice _still_ changed when he was outraged, the man reached for one of the folded blankets nearby and pulled it around his head with strangely awkward and yet angry action. Satisfied, Sanji hurried out of the water, grabbing the bag from the sand and pulling what he needed from it.

"Stay like that until I'm done," he told the older man, hurrying back into the water and washing up.

"How can you properly bathe in salt water?" Law murmured angrily to himself. He then made a startled face. _He_ wants _me to look at him_. Ugh _, don't do it! Don't give him that satisfaction! He doesn't deserve it!_

Sanji took his time just to be an ass about it, dried off with a quick burst of his own heat emittance, and then found the extra set of clothes in a separate bag.

 _Don't look at me, don't look at me, don't look at me,_ he pleaded inwardly. _It's cold, I'm soggy – it's shitty cold water, of course I'm affected by it! Don't look this way, I'll know if you did and I'll kill you!_

Once he was clean and fresh, he let Law know with some cheer. The man removed the material from his head but not from around his body. He glared off into the trees, pulling tight at the blanket around himself, as if he were cold.

Sanji busied himself with making camp on the beach, feeling wholly awkward doing it. He reflected that things had been fine between them as children – fighting and arguing about things while bossing each other around, but now that they were adults…it was different. Everything about it was so different, so painful…he was in the days of his fading heat and while still monumentally aware of Law, another part of him was so uncomfortable with him being there because they didn't know each other.

By the time he had the fire going and some fish roasting on spits, he found a blanket of his own and sat away from it with his back to the man. Both of them were caught up in their own torment and discomfort, doing their best to ignore each other and failing at it.

 _Ridiculous to think that I'm going to pounce on him like some uncontrollable animal_ , Law thought bitterly. _It bugs the fuck out of me that he's_ still _like this after all I've done for him_.

 _How many men was he with, anyway? It wouldn't be that awkward, would it? Both of us aren't virgins, we know what we want_ , Sanji thought with concentration. _Ugh, but does his breath still smell like old coffee_?

 _I bet he stinks like ass and cigarettes_ , Law then thought with a grimace. _That's…that's not even sexy, that's gross. Ugh, 'sexy'? That is so_ nasty _, what the shit_ … _he always used to kiss me, it's not like I rejected him. What, is he too good for that, now?_

 _I never even looked at his dick because we all accused each other of being gay when we were kids – why the hell would I even do that when this is a fucking gay thing in the first place? Was I that big of a moron?_ Sanji mused. _I guess I just wanted to be like the others when I did it, so…_

 _Is there supposed to be foreplay? Shit, I can't even remember the last time I did it_ , Law thought to himself, furrowing his brow with concentration. _I think the last time it happened, I just stuck it in and it started burning – it shouldn't even happen this time, I haven't broken out in a rash since he last touched me. If I broke out in a rash, I'll just kill him_.

_Does that mean I'm a virgin again? It's not like I have a hymen. He should just let me do him, it's not that big of a deal! I know what I'm doing!_

_I don't even want to make the first move, why should I? Why can't_ I _be pampered for once? No one's ever affectionate with me, I want some fucking affection – people always treat me like I'm some sort of fucking leper! If he knows how good it feels, why doesn't he administer it? So fucking selfish…_

 _He'll probably bitch about it if I ask him to rub my back. That's all I want, I just want some fucking affection, I'm not asking him to rape me, or anything. But I probably won't say 'no'…_ probably _…shit._

 _He keeps rubbing his back. Just ignore it. He's so fucking selfish. He's not a damn virgin, why is he acting like one? Pisses me off…if he_ asked _me to, I'd do it, but it's up to him. I'm not going to bow down to his fucking demands – why the fuck did I run off in the first place to grab his shit? Ugh, I'm so stupid…_

_He's such a prude. Look at him over there, trying to ignore me. He knows I want affection, he knows when I'm in heat I want some fucking, shitty ass affection. Why's he acting like he's so shy? Why do I always end up demanding affection from him? Should I just go over there and kiss him like I used to?_

_Stop looking at me, you fucking jerk. Telling me not to look at you in the first place. I hate you. If you asked me to do something, I would do it._ Ask _, not tell. There's a fucking difference. All he has to do is_ ask _– I'm tired of sticking out my neck for that selfish brat. I hate him so much…_ fuck _. I can smell his stupid hair. Cut your damn hair. Cut your stupid head off while you're at it, prick._

 _He pisses me off just hearing him breathe. Breathe quieter, stupid! Where's my cigarettes_? _Fucking hell, I can smell him. He's so selfish, keeping his smell to himself – like I wasn't kissing him as a kid because – ugh, don't think about that…!_

_What an ass. Already rejecting me before I can work up the nerve to make a move. Hell with him. If I wanted it, I would have already claimed it by now! Doesn't he realize how benevolent I am?_

_He's a goddamn alpha, why isn't he making the first move? Is he that fucking stubborn? All he has to do is look at me nicely, and I'll be_ nice _. Why can't he just be nice for once? Ugh, fuck, I just want some fucking affection…maybe I should be alpha for once. I bet that's the only time I'm going to get anything from him, he's such a fucking prude._

 _Wait, not that I want him to_ , they both thought suddenly, catching themselves once they realized how manic their thoughts were growing. _Think about something else_!

Neither of them said a thing to each other, minds erupting with want and craving while they instantaneously battled themselves at the same time.

 _This is just the heat talking_ , Law thought with a roll of his eyes. _And I'm naturally responding to it because that is just my role_. _It's not like I actually want it…_

 _I only get like this during my heat_ , Sanji thought with a pout. _When it ends, we're going to be back at each other's throats all over again._

_How the hell does Shanks and Mihawk do it? Neither of them show any craving – or are they too old?_

_I've never seen Shanks lose any control_ , Sanji realized. _Did he get spayed?_

 _Did Mihawk get clipped? Is that possible?_ Law wondered, looking alarmed.

 _I bet he's considered it_ , Sanji thought, looking over at Law with accusation. _No, he would've bragged about getting neutered, because he'd never miss out on bragging or showing off his skills._

 _With how advanced I am with my abilities, it annoys me that he's never asked if I could do that_ , Law thought with a frown, feeling the weight of Sanji's stare at his back. He turned his head to glare at him. " _What_."

"Nothing." Sanji returned to looking at the fire, glowering at the fish cooking over the flames. _What, does he have extra sensory perception? I can't even look at him, now!_

_What was that look, for? Shit. Can he sense my thoughts?_

_Maybe he_ wants _me to look at him. Ugh, but I lost my confidence,_ Sanji thought with another pout. _I can't tell whether he wants me to or not – he's such a prude! Fine! I won't look at him, then._

 _Why am I being so shy about this shit? I need to assert myself properly_ , Law thought angrily. He then froze, furrowing his brow. Wait. _What should I assert myself over…? There needs to be a better reason than what's going through my mind right now._

Ugh _, he's probably focusing his chakras or whatever so he isn't affected by me. Goddamn Buddha bullshit_ , Sanji realized.

 _Does he want me to make a move?_ Law wondered, bewildered. _Why can't we just get it over with?_

 _Maybe he's feeling insecure_ , Sanji thought with light concern. _Probably feeling sorry for himself – well, it's true, he's always had to be the bad guy…ugh…my guilt…_

 _I wonder how many people he's been with_ , Law thought with a frown. _I'm not mad about it…is he scared that I would be? I don't care._ _It makes it easier for me because it's obvious what the roles would be. It's a duty anyway…maybe this is something I should just assert my dominance over._

 _I want to cuddle, first_ , Sanji thought, inwardly bemoaning his choices as he turned the fish over. _Set the mood, at least. I can't just_ jump _on him – I'd probably scare him because I'm not a fucking kid, anymore. He's always overthinking that shit._

 _Okay, here's the plan. I'll leave myself open. Look inviting. Get him to lower his guard,_ then _I'll make my demand_ , Law thought firmly. Then he paused. _Wait. How do I look inviting? Do I just let myself go? How do I do that? What did I do to get action in the first place? Why can't I remember any of that? Oh no, were they all_ prostitutes _that Doffy sent to me so I wouldn't feel so insecure?_

 _He's plotting something over there_ , Sanji thought suspiciously, glancing at him. _I can feel his mega brain turning over and over, the gears grinding. Plus he keeps doing that twitching thing he does when he's so focused on something that he –_ hey _! When the fuck did he get his ears pierced? Were they always like that?_

_He's looking at me again. Ignore it. You'll just scare him off._

_Oh shit, I never wanted to kiss an ear so bad…what the fuck._

_Wait, when was the last time I showered? Fuck. I can't even remember what happened these past few days…no, never mind, I don't think that'll matter if he hasn't said anything about the way I smell…I need to smell myself. Is he still looking at me?_ Shit _. He is._

" _What_?" he snapped, looking at Sanji fiercely. "Do I stink?"

Sanji froze, the question absolutely coming out of nowhere because he hadn't even noticed. He gave a clumsy shrug and shake of the head, unsure of what to say. Huffing, Law turned his back to him and clutched his blanket tightly around him while Sanji made a face, exasperated at his own dumb reaction.

 _Well, fuck, that was brilliant_ , he told himself. _Way to think on your feet, shit head. His tone was angry – guess I shouldn't try anything._

 _God, did my voice break again_? Law asked himself, touching his throat with revulsion. _Why does it always do that when I'm emotional?_

 _No, no,_ don't _back down_ , Sanji then thought with resolve. _Don't let him intimidate you. You're not a fucking kid, anymore. You're in heat for a reason. You want some affection, jackass? Well, you're going to have to get aggressive for it because he never gave any unless I demanded it! So, get your balls on straight and go for it! I'm rooting for you! Er, for me. I'm rooting for me!_

 _Maybe I'm not that attractive_ , Law thought with bewilderment, self-consciously touching his hair. _I miss my hat…maybe I should let my hair grow out. But then I don't like anything around my eyes…whatever happened to it…?_

 _Should I do it before or after eating_? Sanji wondered, pulling the sticks out from the heat and examining one fish thoroughly. _These are done. I wish I had rice and veggies with me. That'd make a great meal – oh, with lemon and garlic. No, Law doesn't like garlic, I remember that. I could've done with some pink salt._

_That smells like it's done. Shit. Should I just go for it now? Or after? I kind of don't want to taste fish second hand once he eats it…I should just go for it now because it's his third day so tomorrow his heat won't be that strong – shit, I should just wait it out, why am I so quick to ignore my strength after all these years?_

_Is he working himself up to assert himself?_ Sanji thought suspiciously, sneaking a glance in Law's direction. _Because I can feel him working himself up to do something…are we on the same page? I should just go for it because he'll convince himself he's stronger than his instinct._

Both of them ate in silence, glaring at their meals.

_You're the omega in heat! Why don't you want me?_

_Aren't you a shitty alpha? Dominate me!_

_I can't do it_ , they both thought morosely, focused intensely on their food while seagulls cried in the distance and manatees swept through the calm waters.

: :

"Do you think Corazon is still alive somewhere?"

Law felt himself jump because Sanji's voice was unexpected in the night. He had been staring up at the half moon, cursing himself when his omega spoke up from his spot on the other side of the fire. He attuned himself to the question, then folded his hands behind his head. They were facing away from each other, avoiding looking in the other's direction. But considering the muffled noise, Sanji probably had his blanket pulled up to his face. Mainly to avoid the bugs that were fluttering about, attracted to the fire.

He considered the question the answered slowly, "I stopped thinking about that a long time ago."

"I still miss them. Brook, Cora…Perona can't remember shit about them. Brook once said that she was from his time, but why can't she remember him?"

"Selective memory, perhaps. Whatever happened was probably too traumatic for her to remember."

"Can't you do something about it?"

"No," Law said impatiently. He thought about Doflamingo's brother, recalling all the things he'd learned long after they were separated. He wondered if he should tell Sanji about them.

Sanji was silent for some time. Law registered that the static in his head was significantly lighter than it had been for as long as he could remember. He felt frustrated that they could not be apart. It blew his mind how Shanks could take off without Mihawk and wander for months without him when he couldn't even manage a few days being on the same island as Sanji.

But it made sense that the suppressants recently introduced to them could have been the true answer.

"Want to hear something messed up?" he then asked low.

Sanji sighed lightly. "Fine. I guess there's nothing that can shock me, anymore."

It took some courage to speak it out loud, but Law said, "Cora was Doffy's omega."

" _What_?"

"It explains a lot," Law went on. "Wherever they came from, it wasn't frowned upon to mate within the family. That's why Cora was the way he was with us kids. He…might've disappeared purposely to throw Doffy off from us while we were there. Alphas and omegas can track each other down – that's how he was able to find us. He tracked Cora. I mean, looking back at your memories, don't things stand out for you, now? Knowing what you know about yourself?"

Law wasn't interested in seeing Sanji's reaction because Sanji's silence said enough.

"But it wouldn't surprise me if Doffy killed him," Law went on. "He was unhinged. And he had changed when I went back. His powers were weaker. He drank more. He wouldn't talk of him."

"Maybe Brook did it."

"Then why would Brook disappear? He didn't have any real attachments to us. Something happened to him, too. Perona knows – for her long life, she must've come to grips with something in herself to keep it to herself."

"…I don't know what to say."

Law fell silent, staring up at the moon. He always wondered about that night years ago. Searching for different clues, looking for different scenes – always confident he'd missed something that would have told him otherwise. But hearing his own words leave his mouth left him feeling shocked all over again.

"You couldn't sense anything?" he heard Sanji ask.

"At the time, I only sensed myself. And they were bonded. So of course I couldn't sense Cora any differently. But I do remember how his hands shook when he was away from Spider Miles. He smoked constantly to hide the craving. That's why you do it, right?"

Sanji said nothing, and Law wondered what expression he wore. He didn't make any move to look. He couldn't imagine what Sanji was thinking, but he was sure the slight wave of revulsion and fear that he felt sweep through him wasn't his.

"He told you this?" Sanji asked.

"I figured it out. The way he spoke about Corazon, Cora's own actions – he was constantly depressed. But this was his only form of fighting back. It was to…save us kids from that life. So be grateful for him."

Sanji said nothing in response. He was focused on the moon as well, his thoughts drifting away from mundane things to think about the blond man. Now that Law brought it up, he did see the things that he went through that fit Corazon's actions. His seemingly withdrawn state, the way he skulked around his older brother, the way he expressed his aversion to the marriage…it occurred to him that he'd never seen the man in heat. How could he, because of his own blood relative?

To think, he could have been in the same situation with his older brother. If his sister hadn't…it was too wretched to continue thinking in that same line.

His marriage was just another thing to be grateful for. He was allowed to escape a life like that. He could have been four kids deep with one of them already gone, and Law would have been a miniature Doflamingo if he hadn't been removed to see that there was a bigger world out there than he was told.

He closed his eyes.

"Tell me something happier," he murmured.

"You're the one into fairy tales. Why don't you tell me?"

That's why this island is here, you know. To save others from falling to similar fates on the mainland – why do you want to go back there? We could do good here."

"I can't fit in here."

"You don't even try!"

"I can't do it!"

"You could be down at the alpha center, teaching those brats how to control themselves! You could be a doctor here, saving lives."

"I don't want to avoid what's scary or frightening in the world, Sanji. Yeah, there's advantages to staying here but it means we're hiding from the reality of it."

"Arghhh…"

"Who knows what kinds of stories your friends have once they return. I'm sure they've seen similar. Or do you think they've taken on the Pied Piper role for themselves?"

"Yeah, more than likely. We grew up well." Sanji swallowed hard. "Because of you."

"You're welcome."

Sanji struggled to fight off the urge to snap at him, recognizing he was only wanting to do so because he himself felt awkward. He stared up at the moon, lost in his own thoughts while Law did the same.

Watching the stars glitter above their heads, Sanji listened to the faint sounds of static that interrupted his thoughts. Admittedly, he didn't want to think of those terrible things they left behind. He wanted to stay within the comfort of not knowing them. He was safe and sheltered, without any harm to him. He tilted his head to glance over in Law's direction, feeling bad that his mate had all these things pent up inside of him. For him.

At that moment, his instinct as a nurturer kicked in.

 _Don't think, don't think_ , he thought, obeying the want to get up and move closer to his mate. Even as his skin shuddered with the anxiety of the threat of being rejected,he numbly obeyed his body's want to get up from his spot in the sand and took to Law's side. Law looked at him with caution, stilling with his own anxiety. He froze as Sanji dropped down next to him, his braid slapping against his face and earning him a sputter.

"Sorry," Sanji apologized gruffly, awkwardly forcing himself close enough to rest his chin on Law's arm. Tentatively, he threw his arm over the other man's chest and stayed there, waiting for a reaction.

Law kept his mouth shut, even as he wanted to say something to ease his own shocked discomfort. His heart thundered noisily as he sought for the long ago feeling of giving himself up to appease his younger omega's need for comfort and affection.

Once Sanji realized Law wasn't going to reject him, he let himself relax against the older man's somewhat new form. Pleased by the new weight, strength and sturdiness of a man and not by the form of a growing kid, Sanji felt his instinct as an omega grow and heat into something that was foreign and frightening at the same time. What he wanted was more than affection, more than just hugs. It occurred to him that thiswas the feeling he couldn't identify when he was younger, and it was scary that he could feel that way when he was at that age. All these feelings built and tumbled around him, leaving him almost mindless as his body instinct took over with startling force.

Law was startled to smellthe change, affected by the sudden surge of needy pheromones from his omega. He couldn't sense that it was Sanji's, couldn't see the kid that repulsed him all these years, but the change inside of Sanji gave his instinct the okay to take advantage.

 _Don't think, don't think_ , he thought to himself desperately, turning to face the other man. Brief eye contact showed him that Sanji was ready to accept him - that the omega _wanted_ him. Once recognizing this, his breathing grew heavy, Sanji's matching it as his hand left Law's shoulder to drop and clutch at his shirt. Giving him permission.

Before anything could happen, both of them fumbled with clothing. Pushing and pulling at material until there was enough room to allow open maneuverability. There wasn't presence of mind for slow buildup or romance. Just abrupt need to connect without interruption. Sanji lifted his leg and curled it around Law's hip and Law's hand was pushing at Sanji's thigh while assisting his dick up into the smaller man's ass.

Law was then inside of him without any hard action. Their breathing increased once they were connected, but their eye contact didn't break once. Sanji's face twitched with reaction as Law pushed his dick up into him, grunting with satisfaction at how easy it was to push in. Sanji was wet and pliant, like a woman, and it was easy for Law to lose his head in that overwhelming need. Not thinking, not reacting like he would naturally. Sanji's leg curled tightly around his waist, adjusting to allow Law to thrust up into him. His fingers tightened on Law's shirt to brace himself, his other shoulder bracing against half dirt, half blanket. Once he felt Law's dick was as much inside him as the alpha could go, he shifted his arm around his shoulders, pulling his head up against his. He held onto him tightly within a hug with both his arms and one leg while his alpha breathed heavily against his throat. Sanji could hear his heart beating rapidly between them, and could feel the heat building up between them with their contact. He could sense everything in Law at that moment - all his aching relief and joy and feelings of acceptance that made Sanji feel like Law had expected to be rejected. Like he'd been waiting all this time for Sanji to accept him and Sanji was startled to acknowledge this.

Law didn't move once he was fully sheathed inside of Sanji's body. Sanji could feel it throbbing deep inside of him, his eyes closing before they could roll back because he could feel every hard inch, every dip and ridge, and his own body seemed to shudder and swallow in response. His fingers fisted up with Law's hair and shirt, stomach tight as his own breath increased. His heat suddenly overcame him, his voice emerging as a sharp whine as his hips nestled up against Law's. His toes curled tightly as he jerked at Law's shirt as a prompt to begin moving.

Law didn't move at first because he was savoring this moment. The intense smell of his mate needing him, the sensation of his warm and wet insides that seemed to undulate all around him; inviting and encouraging. He could hear Sanji's heart race, hear the increase of his breath and feel the hard grip of his fingers, desperately pulling at him. _Needed_ him. Sanji needed him and Law was right where _he_ needed to be. He wanted to be absorbed and be used, and he could feel his own body crying with relief and satisfaction in that this was exactly _right_. He felt like he'd finally found a place where he belonged, where it was safe and welcoming. All his static and worries were gone; all his tension and pent up turmoil was swept away. It almost made sense why alphas went insane when they lost their mates.

It was so overwhelming that he thought he'd black out if he didn't catch his breath soon.

Sanji gripped his face within both hands, breath exhaled feverishly as he struggled with touch to communicate what he needed to say. Once he had Law's eye contact, nothing was needed to be said. Law rolled him onto his back where Sanji gripped him with both legs, keeping them anchored to each other. Still not making any unnecessary touches or breaking any space between them. There was just hard breathing and slow movement, allowing nothing between them or to interrupt them. They were both intensely focused and absorbing everything that had been pent up and waiting for release.

Despite the sensation of lost time, their bodies were eager to remind them that they both lacked stamina and endurance to last for as long as they wanted. Almost mere minutes since Law inched his way in, he could feel himself coming to a stop. Sanji wasn't anywhere close, too lost in the moment to be his mate's peace and needing the connection that once he felt the telltale twitching of Law's dick, he reached between them to force him out, aware that pregnancy could happen when his body was so prepared for it. His mate's dick was different from his non-sub gender hook ups' - he could feel the heavy knot in it that would have made it difficult to remove when he came, which would ensure pregnancy. He used his hand to finish Law, feeling his answering shudder and hearing his exhalation against his face.

Sanji glowed differently, eyes opened to the new possibilities between them. His heart raced feverishly while his body felt rejuvenated and whole, grateful for the new connection between them. He wiped his hand onto his own stomach, smearing fluid on his skin before pulling Law close to him. The man's heavy weight crushed his breath from him but Sanji held him close, arms and legs shaking from the intensity. He was experiencing a foreign feeling he couldn't describe that made this entirely satisfactory without a desperate need for his own release. His heart pounded so hard that he couldn't catch his breath, eyes wide with wonder. All he could think of was nurturing and holding his mate so he could recover.

He turned his head to kiss and nuzzle at Law's sweaty head, inhaling the very scent of him. His body was still primed and ready, throbbing with emptiness, crying for more. Once he felt Law had recovered, he felt his hunger grow again. This time he was ready to join him. He reached between them to insert Law back into him, clutching tightly with every part of him.


	18. Chapter 18

**: : Eighteen**

* * *

As wonderful as the moment was, when both omega and alpha could settle their panicked, aggressive states, Chopper was looking at the aftermath with his mouth open slightly. Both of them looked as if they'd seen something traumatic, and were so uncomfortable that they hadn't even reacted to him upon his approach. He looked down at the tray next to him, determining that this reaction needed something bigger than a basic allergen pill.

Wild rashes covered them from the chest down, to venture into private areas that were swollen grotesquely and wildly uncomfortable. Neither of them could wear clothes – they had the center's basic hospital sheets on and both of them were in very apparent distress. Neither of them could sit still. Chopper supposed that it was good they hadn't exchanged any body fluids from any saliva, because he supposed their faces would be unrecognizable if that happened. He couldn't imagine their discomfort in being bonded, and yet still unable to touch each other without a reaction.

"Why can't you fix it?" Chopper heard Sanji hiss at Law, who looked at him with irritation.

"I can't _focus_ ," Law hissed back, hands itching to seek relief over his groin and instead fisting them above his thighs. " _Everything_ is burning!"

" _My insides are_ _burning_!"

"Don't you have an epi-pen, or something?" Law snapped at Chopper, who startled with the aggressive question. "Benadryl, _something_ \- !"

"This is…beyond my knowledge, and those are formatted for food, pollen allergies, not…" Chopper said slowly, furrowing his brow. "Both of you are reacting to your…mate's…body fluids, and…I mean, couldn't you have known something was amiss when you couldn't touch each other without causing a skin reaction?"

"Admittedly, neither of us noticed at that moment," Sanji muttered bitterly, twitching as he resisted scratching at himself. His backside burned with irritation – it felt like it was making its way completely up his intestines, touching parts he couldn't even reach. He could feel his body reacting as it normally did to intercourse – guts bubbling and burning with that uncomfortable rejection method that often left him laid up for hours, needing intravenous fluids to recover. He squirmed uncomfortably on the table – wanting to scratch, wanting to take to the toilet. He had the thought that _at least_ that might relieve the itch that was pestering him from the inside.

Law thought about that moment when Sanji had touched him in the apartment – his skin had reddened but hadn't bubbled. He thought that time would continue to lessen the effects but perhaps it hadn't been enough time at all. He could hear Sanji's mid-section gurgling mightily.

To Chopper, he muttered, "I suppose a day after pill wouldn't work in this matter, would it? He is rejecting naturally."

"Yes, well…" With discomfort, Chopper glanced at Sanji then said to Law, "as normal procedure, yes, this…will work, too."

"Go shit until you can't stand," Law then advised Sanji tersely.

"I don't need your damn permission to do anything!" Sanji snapped at him, but left the room with a slam of the door.

Chopper looked at Law with tentative action, noticing his expression. "This changes much of which we don't know about…alphas and omegas in this position, Law. Even in this moment of discomfort, we can still use this as further assistance to any that might be in your shoes."

"There is _no one_ in our shoes," Law snapped at him. He winced, eyes burning as a rippling need to scratch at his groin persisted. But his own detailed experience warned him that he'd only scratch himself raw, furthering his discomfort. He could hear Doflamingo laughing at him from the edge of his memories.

"I will instead," Chopper lightened up, turning to his cabinet nearby and unlocking that with a set of keys, "administer you both your suppressants! Perhaps that will help. Neither of you experienced any side effects other than the norm with them, right? No rashes, no…?"

Law struggled to think about it, scratching lightly at his stomach. Both of them had terrible, bubbling rashes there caused by their own spunk – it burned into his skin like acid.

"No," he said tentatively. His suppressants allowed him to feel immensely sluggish and light headed, with a constant throbbing headache that wasn't affected by his own method of healing. His powers were diminished because of them, admittedly. But he supposed those would work. He would grasp at anything at this moment, his raging state of reaction making it difficult to focus on anything but the discomfort.

"Take a hot bath with these salts," Chopper then said cheerfully, pulling down a burlap sack and then taking out separate bags from his desk nearby. "These should relieve the rashes. I'll administer your suppressants – four every four to six hours, do not take more than that. I want to take a few samples from your – "

"No."

"But - !"

"I refuse. The only reason why we're reacting is because we're still allergic to each other."

Chopper considered this, wearing a thoughtful frown. "Time is needed," he said gravely. "Or…perhaps…what if there is a possibility that neither of you will accept each other?"

"Then no touching," Law stressed.

Chopper looked at him with upset action, setting the salts aside. Then he exhaled lightly. "Because both of you have less antagonized states, perhaps this isn't a possibility. You can go a day without trying to kill each other or destroy the islands…or, I can administer a allergy shot specifically designed with each of your DNA into you both until you can rebuild a tolerance. Frankly, Law, the only reason why you two are reacting the way you are is because of your separation. Neither of you can allow other DNA because of your bond, so your body is quick to react to any DNA that becomes present – even Sanji's, because he is still a stranger to you."

He lit up before Law could say anything. "So perhaps more time together is needed! All you have to do is get to know each other! So I prescribe a small amount of physical contact – _no sex_ – until your bodies can adapt and learn each other."

Law grimaced, wearing a discomforted expression. He ended up scratching at one thigh, reaching high to find relief. But the rest of him burned horrendously. His hands shook as he forced himself to pull away. At this moment, it sounded like a good plan. It filled him with irritation that this was even a state to consider. It was so easy to think that all they needed was passion and a will but because of their damned _biology_ …

"Fine, _whatever_ ," he muttered bitterly. "Give me those damn suppressants."

"I'll work up a note to excuse you from school," Chopper then said with sympathy, "and administer crème as well. I'm sorry it was such a bad experience, but it can only get better. _Time_ will make it better."

Law doubted that. He had clear, noisy imagery of what he'd left behind, and a sure confidence that he wasn't allowed anything good.

: :

Nami stared down at the omega huddled underneath her various jackets, deep inside of her walk-in closet. She'd opened the door to get dressed for the day, saw the sight and freaked out with a loud shriek while clasping her bath robe closed. Once she realized who it was, she was still settling her rapidly beating heart. She was only eighteen, yet her heart felt as fragile as it should be at eighty. The group of males she'd had the luck to grow up with on the island had given her enough scares and frights to last several lifetimes.

"What is happening here?" she asked sternly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why are you hiding in my closet? It's too late for that, you know?"

She swore she heard a rather pathetic sniff.

"Don't you dare stain any of my clothes with your tears," she threatened. "Those things are worth more than your damn life."

" _Nami_ \- !"

"What are you _crying_ about? _Are_ you crying?" she asked skeptically. "I swear to god, you and Luffy were the biggest crybabies of the group – and Ussop, I think, but he cried less than you two! Or is this another one of your heat things? I thought you were over that already."

"Pretend I'm not here, and continue getting dressed like I'm not peeping on you."

Nami continued to look down at the pile skeptically, furrowing her brow. But she removed the towel from her head, fiddling with her damp hair. "Okay, I'm lost…"

Then she startled once again, hastily pulling her jackets off him. "Don't you dare start any fires here! Get out!"

She froze in mid-motion, noticing how _sickly_ he looked. Almost exactly as he did after having sex with a non-sub gender and needed recovery efforts to recuperate. But he was scratching at his stomach and chest like crazy, and she wondered who he'd hooked up with if it wasn't his mate. The thought of a scandal had her gasping with near delight.

She tossed the pile onto her bed. "What's going on?"

Sanji looked like he was going to answer, but he dragged down several of her dresses from the overhead bar and covered himself with it. His voice was piteously muffled as he spoke. "Just…let me suffer in silence…I feel safe here…"

Nami frowned at him with concern, then brightened. "So, wait, weren't you were supposed to be in heat? What, you decided to go and _cheat_?"

Sanji muttered, "…No."

"Then, why are you hiding…? What'd Law do now?" she then asked in exasperation. " _Did_ he _cheat on you_? _Ah_! With that one teacher, I bet. She's gorgeous, you have to admit. I _knew_ she'd do it! Acting all shy with that face of hers, I _knew_ she was a calculating wretch from the sight of her – "

Sanji looked at her with alarm, pulling a black dress from his head as she continued her musing.

"Want me to go beat her up? I will," she threatened, shaking a fist. "I've been wanting to punch her for some time, but I needed a real good excuse!"

" _Who_ are you talking about?" he asked with bewilderment.

"Conis! She acts so pure and good, but I know she's up to something, she's no shitty angel - !"

" _NO_! No, she's actually a real nice person, there's nothing shady about her. Nami, you have bad judgement," Sanji muttered with incredulity. "Ah, but it's great that you easily sense any sort of danger to share with the rest of us knuckleheads before it…can happen…"

"And _you_ think women are so fucking pure and pretty that none of us are capable of any bad things! I keep telling you you're wrong, so if she did something with your husband – hey, I'll even kick _his_ ass, too. I'll - !"

"Nothing like that of that happened…" Sanji wore a brooding expression while Nami held the folds of her robe tight at her thighs and sat at the edge of her bed. "I'm just…I can't seem to collect myself properly."

"Oh, it's one of _those_ times…ugh, get _over_ it. I can get all the emotions but never the full cleaning, if you know what I mean. I've had my period maybe…six times in the past two years? But those mood swings are _horrible_ ," she said with a roll of her eyes. "You're lucky you don't bleed – "

Collecting himself enough to speak, he said, "I was eight when we were married. And it took over a decade for it to be…consummated."

Nami blinked, wondering what that word meant. Once it hit her, her eyes widened so round that they nearly took up her face. Then her expression changed to worried concern. All the pain and trauma of her past, with her witnessing these things, hit her like a hot swell. She held her breath because horror gripped her – even years later, she still felt frozen with the concept of sex.

"Was it consensual?" she asked, her voice thin and light, as if struggling to get it out.

Sanji looked at her with alarm then hurriedly sought to reassure her. "Yes, _yes_ , it was…it was definitely my choice."

Looking at his expression closely, searching for lies, Nami then felt herself start to relax. She could _breathe_. She exhaled her breath slowly, feeling the weight lift once his expression turned to concern for her. It still left her gut feeling tight. Swallowing, she sought to compose herself, to regain her light-hearted stance on the matter. She forced herself to smile, but her voice was reed thin.

She jumped up, holding her robe closed and socked him hard in the shoulder.

" _You did it_!" she hissed, unable to speak properly. "Well, how was it? Was it romantic or horribly messy? How was everything, from start to finish? Oh my god, is he _huge_ down there? Do you need stitches? Oh no, I bet he's really small – is that it? _Oh my god_ you're going to have a sexless marriage for the rest of your life if he's _small_ \- !"

Sanji looked at her with wild incredulity, wondering why her imagination was so ripe for the worst things. But he was relieved she'd shook herself out of her traumatic mode.

" _Ahhhh_ I want to know more but I don't at the same time!" she squealed, then she stiffened. She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him with each word. "Are. You. _Pregnant_?"

"NO!" Sanji hid his face at the panicking concept, voice muffled by the frilly sundress he was clutching. "Apparently…we're not compatible…"

Nami tried to understand what he meant. "What does that mean?" Nami asked, looking confused. "Like…both of you want to do the man part? Or…?"

"No, we're…we were both hit with some of the worst allergic reactions possible…we're _literally_ allergic to each other."

Blinking, Nami sat down next to him, hands falling to her lap. She knew of their skin conditions if each of them touched someone that wasn't their mate, but to think that it still happened, even when they agreed to do the deed – it made her feel bad for both of them. They'd taken the plunge and was punished for it. No matter how ridiculous it seemed, she felt sorry for them.

"Well, I don't know what to say about that, there are very good doctors on the island that will do their best to help, but doesn't this at least this resolve the Luffy thing?"

Sanji looked as if he'd just remembered this. He removed the sundress just a little to look at her with realization. Now that she knew what she knew, Nami looked at his face with examination – she didn't see anything that could have caused a reaction on his skin. "That's _right_."

"And we can stay here longer without that threat."

"We're not staying. I _have_ to go wherever he goes, and he wants to go back to mainland," Sanji stated petulantly.

"You can tell him 'no'!"

"It's a predisposition that's there that I can't possibly ignore. I don't know how Shanks does it…!"

"Well, you can't leave until you're done being allergic to each other," Nami said sternly. "There's no point leaving this island for anything else – you found who you wanted to go looking for."

Sanji shifted uncomfortably. "Well, he ran off and has been avoiding me since that day. I'm in discomfort, too! I can't even tell what he's thinking…he won't talk to me."

Nami looked at him with sympathy. She could see Law avoiding Sanji because even when he was a teen he was trying to get some space to himself. She couldn't think of anything to say at that moment to cheer him up, so she decided to use the tough route.

" _Stop whining_! Man up, or I'll give you something even worse to whine about!"

"What could be worse?"

Nami realized that she didn't have an answer; even as it was right in front of her. She wondered where the point of reaction was, and couldn't _imagine_ his discomfort. So she shrugged. Shaking her head, she then murmured lightly, "I'm sorry I spoke so harshly but I mean it when I say _get tough_. It's pointless feeling any other way about it. Maybe he's embarrassed…? I mean, who expects that to happen with your own mate? It's understandable if you were playing around again, that's your own fault, but both of you were betrayed if both of you reacted at the same time to each other…that's something neither of you can help."

Sanji sighed noisily, then muttered, "I'm just as mortified…and upset that he's avoiding me when we should be working this out together…"

"Want me to beat him up?" she asked tentatively, looking terrified at the concept. He chuckled.

"No, you don't have to do that..."

"Maybe he's just like you, Sanji. That guy has a lot of pride in him, and he probably wasn't his usual self when you guys were getting down. Considering where he'd come from, he's probably just as terrified and disappointed as you because he let his guard down and suffered a goddamn _allergic_ reaction! So try to think of it in a romantic sense – you invaded a prideful man's walls to make him feel vulnerable and appreciated and it isn't neither of your faults that caused this reaction to happen! It's okay to feel embarrassed, but neither of you should blame the other for it… which is… _totally_ something I can see _any_ one of you nimrods do. You're all so sensitive when it comes to any threat to your manhoods…"

"Er…well….I suppose I can think of it that way…"

"Growing up with all you morons has allowed me to pick through your brutish behavior and see what really matters to you all, so I get it if he ran off because he was scared and embarrassed because look at you – hiding yourself in the closet like you've lived here your entire life. "

"Okay, I get it, I'm taking this all wrong – "

" _Or_ , he claimed and left you because he's scared of competing with Luffy," Nami then mused thoughtfully, rubbing her chin. " _Then_ he'll have that affair…"

"After what happened I doubt that he'd be eager to touch anyone else. _Okay_ ," Sanji exhaled heavily, pulling himself together. Nami watched him fondly. "I'm going to do my thing until he gets the balls to come back. We can't avoid each other forever. Now that it's over…we're _really_ stuck with each other."

"He was asking about birth control in a roundabout way. He was plotting before you decided to let him in," Nami pointed out, snickering. "Which is actually kinda cute."

"There is nothing 'cute' about that man, Nami. You saw him once as he is now and fell all over your tongue. Don't lie."

" _Ahhhhh_ I can't. He's _really_ handsome, in a scary, weird way. It's that alpha thing, isn't it?" She looked at Sanji with examination. "So…when does Luffy grow into that?"

"I don't care about that!"

As he slowly fixed her closet back into shape, she shook her head. "What are you going to do with your hair? It's such a mess…why don't you just cut it?"

Sanji looked at her with panic, then picked up what was left of his braid. Admittedly, it was tangled again, the tie barely clinging to the end of it. He petted it fondly despite its appearance. "I don't know…it's my hair, it's…"

"Part of your past! Get rid of it!"

"But when it's fixed, don't you think it gives me a rugged, manly appearance?"

Nami pinned him with a stare. "It's a _nest_ , and it's _never_ neat nor do you put any effort into it. I've never seen you fix it or apply any effort to it. It's dirty. _Gross_. I'm surprised it's not infested with bugs or any type of vermin."

Sanji laughed, then sheepishly combed his fingers through his hair. "I love it when you give it to me straight."

"Sanji." Once Nami had the omega's attention, she looked at him sternly so that he could see she was speaking seriously. " _Was_ this consensual?"

Understanding her pressing need to know, he gave her a gentle smile. "Yes, Nami."

"But you can't help the way you are when you're in heat, so – "

"Nami…I gave him a piece of me freely and at my own decision. It's the aftermath with… _both_ of our stupid pride that's the problem…in the end, Nami," Sanji tried again, trying to convey his feelings correctly, "I'm very happy with him as my mate. I was very lucky. As such, all I need to do is stifle my stupid pride and carry on as a strong and sturdy mate that he can rely upon as well. And for all his bluster, he's just as stupid as I am. You and I know this, in our hearts, because he waited until I was old enough to make the choice as well."

Satisfied with his answer, Nami relaxed. She had to admit to herself that he was speaking the truth and not just saying these things to nullify her own fears. She'd seen for herself the answers, and knew that Law wasn't the person she feared him to be. He wasn't like those she'd witnessed preying on her sister all those years ago.

It was difficult releasing the pain and the helpless anger that continued to linger inside of her, years later.

" _Okay_. You stupid shit heads get it together and, before I forget, keep that thing about Conis just between us. Okay?"

"Secret kept!"

"To the grave! Otherwise, it's going to be _awkward_ at the next economic development seminar that I'm holding for the high school students next week."

"Right."

Nami waited until he fixed her closet, emerging with a quiet close of her door. She then asked, "So, disregarding the aftermath…how was it?"

"I'm going to go home and take a shower. Think about my hair a little more," Sanji decided, avoiding the question as he left her bedroom. Nami looked disappointed, but she was also relieved at the same time. After some quiet consideration, she decided that things were going to be fine.

: :

The kids filed out of the room neatly, carrying their projects with them. They were calling out their goodbyes with cheerful voices that caused tugging at Law's heart strings. He sullenly kept his attention to clean up, knowing that he was deliberately assigned this position because _of course_ his surroundings and the eager to learn minds of children yanked without mercy on his damned instincts.

Nearly a week later, he was _still_ in one of his worst moods, radiating stubborn anger from him like a heater. It had caused a couple of the kids to cry but he managed to get back onto their good sides with some simple parlor tricks that distracted them from his "scary face". He'd spent this time trying to recover from the reaction – with Chopper's administrations, his skin had settled and all he was left with were uncomfortable scabs. It was a terrible way to live – every piece of his clothing seemed to make things worse. He was grateful none of those areas were visible to others because that was sure to invite curiosity.

He'd avoided Sanji because he was sure the blonde wanted to recover in private as well. It was an embarrassing aftermath for both of them. Law did want to see him but he could respect the other man's privacy. He did have the inclination to want to talk to him – but he was _positive_ Sanji didn't want to see him, either. He was sure Sanji would blame him for his lack of control as well – after all, Law was older and more experienced. These were all Law's own determinations, from his own point of view.

Never had he considered that Sanji thought differently. This was the result of their separation; time apart had convinced him that the child Law thought he knew was an adult he didn't know at all.

But he was angry at himself for allowing himself to be vulnerable, that night. Angry that he lost control, angry that he was scared, angry at himself for thinking that things were 'okay'. They were almost never _okay_. When things were 'okay', that's when things turned for the worst.

After most of his life was spent in this fashion, it wasn't easy to let go of his control. But it was a surprise blow to the gut to be _goddamn allergic to his own mate_. It felt like he was being punished for responding, and it didn't make sense, and it wasn't fair.

But Law was convinced he wasn't meant to have anything good. Because he'd lost himself and had felt safe and relaxed, nature had reminded him that he could not have anything _good_. Perhaps he should look at this allergic reaction as something positive – it was to prevent him from being _too_ happy.

Law set the paintbrushes aside to dry.

"I can hear those gears turning, and they're rusty from overuse."

Law frowned crossly at his reflection in the window, gripping the edge of the sink with hands that bent the steel. That fool always had a way of sensing him at his worse and showing up anyway. It was both a good and bad thing. Despite his hard resolve, he felt relieved that Sanji could ignore his mood and approach him. It allowed Law to think they were going to be okay.

Sanji ignored his mood as he walked in, gasping at the sight of the posters and sights around him.

" _How wonderful_!" he exclaimed merrily, forgetting his earlier intentions as he fluttered about. "Look at this wonderland! How can you stand it?"

" _Focus_ , idiot."

"I am! _I am_!" Sanji cried, investigating the roll of silhouettes at the wall with all the kids' impressions. Inside each inelegantly drawn body mold were their goals for a better life. Sanji collapsed in front of that wall, touching each one while breathing with trouble. Law faced the window, feeling his own agitation rise up. Because he'd helped those kids figure out their goals, and every single answer they shyly gave was remembered in his heart. He ended up bracing against the sink while Sanji noisily sobbed over each child's clumsily printed future.

"You're so _lucky_!" Sanji heaved, placing one hand over another child's sloppy handprint.

"Hey, you two," Perona snapped from the doorway, hand on one hip. "If you ain't teaching, then get out of here. School's ended."

Law glared over at her, but she looked at them both with indifference. She gave Sanji a disgusted look.

"Ugh," she muttered. "Someone kick that homeless guy out of here. He's scaring everyone here."

"I would _love_ to work with children," Sanji snapped at her, rising to his feet. Then catching sight of the kids' Polaroid selfies plastered to each desk, detailing their own sitting space. He gasped over every one of them, causing Perona to roll her eyes with antipathy.

"You know the rules, firebug. Hey, alpha dog. Drag your dopey faced mate out of here before he sets something on fire."

"Hey, I haven't – " Sanji started to complain when Law quickly exchanged him with a potted plant from his apartment. He set that aside carefully.

Perona looked at him, snapping at her gum. "The matron says you made two kids cry, today. Wanna be the third?"

Law scowled at her, words building on his tongue to give her a lashing the forever-teen would never forget. But she slipped into cat form and dashed off, bell ringing at her collar. Briefly thinking about the answers that continued to evade him, he finished cleaning up the classroom and left the building.

When he arrived back at the apartment he shared with the other two, he had the potted plant in hand. Sanji was waiting for him, wearing a familiar expression Law knew very well. The kid wasn't going to drop the subject until Law appeased him with an answer or re-directed him elsewhere with it. It was easy to do the latter when they were kids – Sanji would be distracted by other things until bringing it back up later down the road when Law was prepared to give an appropriate answer.

The familiarity made things easier, considering the subject.

He noticed that Shachi was making popcorn and trying to look as small as possible. Due to his brain injuries, Shachi wasn't cleared for any type of work on the island, but he had an eager team of therapists that worked with him on memory exercises and speech classes. Things Law _couldn't_ fix or do himself, much to his frustration. Penguin had found a job down at the docks, and he often came home exhausted, yet feeling pleasant about contributing to society positively, in a way he could feel no harm about. The former slaves had come a long way, and both of them were important to Law. He thought of them as family, not just friends or minions.

So knowing that Shachi didn't have anywhere to go while he had this conversation with Sanji wasn't something he could do to just dismiss the man, or carry on this situation clandestinely. Shachi and Penguin already _knew_ Law – there was no hiding things.

Sensing trouble, Shachi ended up taking his popcorn with him to his bedroom, softly shutting the door behind him. Law would apologize later to him for making him feel uncomfortable.

Law then exhaled sharply as he set the potted plant down. "Yeah, I ran away, so what?" he started off the subject reluctantly.

"Considering this happened between both of us for an, _ultimately_ bigger reason that we were prepared for," Sanji returned with visible control, "running away was a cowardly gesture."

"I ran away because dealing with the aftermath was…weird."

"Not as weird as feeling abandoned, again…"

Law flushed at that point, fiddling with his long sleeves. " _I couldn't fucking help it_ , _okay_?"

"I have always told you that to make things work between us, you need to allow my opinion in as well," Sanji added tentatively.

"Besides," Law then said before Sanji could finish, "don't get comfortable with thinking that this will be a regular thing. I only responded because of your heat, and obviously we're not compatible – "

"So that makes it _my_ fault?"

"Not…necessarily…but with my mind cleared now, I cannot imagine just taking up on the offer routinely. Therefore…you should find comfort elsewhere."

" _No_. No, no, _no_ , that's not how this works," Sanji interjected, giving an incredulous laugh and rising to his bare feet with a shake of his finger. "I know what you're doing – you're feeling angry at yourself for giving into something _you_ wanted as well. You're mad at yourself, at something _neither_ of us can do anything about, and you're taking it out on me!"

"I'm angry, yes, but taking it out on anyone? That's ridiculous."

"Don't be a dumb dick. I can read dicks! You might have everyone else fooled with your attitude but I am _bonded_ to you!" Sanji gave him a plaintive look and it was so invasive Law found himself looking away. "You're hurting as much as I am about this…"

"Don't lump me in with you," Law said stubbornly, but inwardly he was relieved that Sanji could tell. He needed that understanding so badly...yet, it made his resolve harder to stick with.

" _I'm not_! But I'm not going to run out and 'find comfort' elsewhere, either. If _I_ want it, like _you_ do, then I'll just turn to my mate like we're _supposed_ to. Eventually, we'll stop reacting… didn't you talk to Chopper?"

Exhaling noisily, Law then said, "Forgetting that useless thing, don't you get it? The overall pattern? The moment we come into agreement with something, shit happens."

It occurred to Sanji that this was Law's fear because he'd thought about it himself. Gently, he said, "I understand that you're afraid, but we're not those _kids_ , Law. And neither of us are under any more threat outside of what we make for ourselves."

"It doesn't change."

"It _will_ because we're both adults, now! Neither of us are weak and stupid! Half that destruction out there on the east end is partly because of me, too!"

"But you're sheltered and depraved of the things I know – "

" _Argh_ , you're doing it again! Holding that all against me!"

"Stop yelling."

"I can't help it, I get frustrated with you, too! Stop feeling like you have to protect me all the time - !"

"That's my role!"

"Then ignore it!"

"I can't ignore it! Look," Law then said, looking flustered as he struggled to say the things he needed to say, "both of us have a purpose. Unfortunately, that purpose doesn't fit into my life right now. Therefore, having this…relationship with you, it isn't working."

"You can't even break up with me," Sanji retorted. "This is us for _life_. For however long each of us lives! So uniting peacefully with each other is the best way to make this work."

"I'm aware of that, I don't need a reminder every twenty minutes. BUT, and I cannot stress this enough, you are not allowed to think that you're on my level. I know better than you the dangers and the misfortune that is out there – "

" _You_ \- !" Sanji backed up abruptly, exhaling with frustration. His hand went up to fiddle with his braid, and Law watched the motion with a frustrated look of his own. Giving a short curse, Sanji then puffed with tremendous self-control. He tossed his braid back over his shoulder and faced Law rigidly – which made Law suspicious because all his senses went off at that moment, expecting an attack. But Sanji slowly sat down on the edge of the chair, sitting on his fists.

For a moment, Law saw something else. It made his heart stutter to a stop. The memory of seeing Corazon make the same sort of gesture when Doflamingo chastised him for making a decision without him came to Law's vision. He couldn't exactly remember what the content was but Corazon had been upset and Doflamingo had waved off his brother's attitude with a curt word of his own. When Corazon had spoken again, it was with a yielded opinion that didn't feel right for the man's presence. Law wished he knew exactly what the memory was of – but he recalled dismissing it right away because he was a child back then, not in tune to their relationship and problems.

Quietly, Sanji said, "I apologize for making you feel stress about this new aspect of our relationship. I understand that you are…scared. As someone that's…only dealt with one end of it, for _my safety_ and _your comfort_ , acknowledging that it's our natural roles that make a shit out of this entire thing…it's difficult for me to see your point of view. All I ask…out of everything that's between us, is that you no longer allow yourself to run away. We do these things _together_. Everything else I'll just manipulate and whine my way out of, anyway."

Law lifted an eyebrow at this blatant truth. The kid was always getting his way, some way or another. "As long as you do," he said tightly, recalling the way Corazon had yielded to Doflamingo's dominant gesture. "Don't make any weak decisions based on some simpering, pathetic lack of might. Assert yourself."

Sanji furrowed his brow. Law confused him with his constant shift of encouragement. He either wanted Sanji to back down or stand up to him, and it appeared that Law didn't know he was doing this. He decided to put that away for later reviewing.

"I am constantly chasing after you," Sanji added. "Allow me to catch up. We work better that way."

That bugged Law's sense of standing, face twitching with his own rejection of the matter. The voices of their past whispered behind his clear thoughts. Every time they agreed to work together…there was always the shadow of something dangerous looming behind them.

 _He couldn't do it_.

Seeing his reluctance, Sanji realized that he probably would never get his request. His own pride cried and argued for a certain resolution to the matter by having his way granted – it was strong and determined, needing to prove himself and his mate that he was capable. But a part of him whispered quietly that he needed to assert himself in another way. That voice was new to him.

In spite of all his stubborn pride, Sanji focused on that new voice. It went against everything he thought himself of, but years of fighting Law for his own standing had gone nowhere. He set his jaw rigidly, considering other options. But he understood that Law was _afraid_ – that was the base for his actions. The man's responsibility as a kid had twisted and turned into what it was today – it had been all on his shoulders and every choice made on his hands, which led to the separation. So Sanji understood and could not bring himself to mock and push at Law's fear and stubborn stance on the matter. He supposed he would have to ease that responsibility of his from him by demonstrating for himself, in whichever way possible, that it wasn't entirely up to him, anymore.

At that moment he wanted physical contact – his skin ached for it in a way that couldn't be ignored, and he had the feeling it was on the other man, as well. It was frustrating because at the same time, his skin rippled with unease. He wasn't fully healed yet – he did not welcome the thought of reacting every time he touched his mate.

After a few moments, he mumbled, "I…want to be held."

" _What_?" Law asked him incredulously, giving him a look. "I don't want to touch you right now, not after all that – !"

" _HUG ME_ , SHIT HEAD. We need to build a tolerance."

"I am still healing, I don't want to - "

"JUST DO IT, it's not going to kill you! We didn't _die_ …!"

Law frowned heavily, looking so disgusted with himself and with Sanji that his entire attitude shifted. He was relieved that it seemed like Sanji was going to drop his persistence, but the request was so… _childish_. Something he expected of his younger mate. But it made sense to build a tolerance. The thought of living the rest of their lives being unable to touch each other…well, it still filled him with a sort of immensity that was close to mourning. He _wanted_ to be touched. He wanted that comfort – he'd spent most of his adult life yearning for it, and now that he had it, they were tarnished by their allergic reactions to each other? It was unfair and stupid – surely time would lessen it…!

Heaving a tremendously troubled sigh, Law trudged to him with dragging feet and slumped shoulders, a curl of immense dissatisfaction to his perfectly formed lips. Sanji thought that Law looked as if he'd asked him to do something incredulously taxing and wanted to lash out at him with all limbs and verbal force. But he mysteriously restrained himself from doing so.

He held himself perfectly still as Law leaned down to give him one of the most awkward hugs in the existence of physical expressions – arms barely touching Sanji, body pulled away, distance widened so that only Law's arms settled inches over Sanji's head and shoulders. Sanji twisted and latched himself onto him, dropping them both onto the floor and causing the chair to tilt and fall noisily. Once he had the advantage, he snaked his arms and legs all around him as Law slammed his head off the floor.

He snarled with curses and angry action as Sanji tightened his arms and thighs, smiling victoriously despite straining against that superhuman strength of his. Despite their closeness, both of them made sure to avoid touching skin to skin.

"Hug me!" Sanji snarled. "A _good_ one, not some lame ass, virgin body hug! I want the full on squish-me-until-I-can't-breathe hug!"

"I'm going to break out in a rash again, I don't want to!"

"All I want is some shitty affection. This is pretty shitty, but I need something shittier from you to be satisfied. _Then_ I'll go on my merry way."

"…So _embarrassing_. You're fuck all years old and you still want these stupid things…" Law grumbled into the floor, neck, ears and face red. But he wiggled his arms free to brace himself against the other man's weight.

"I'm _nineteen_ , going on twenty pretty soon…so if you want to give me a present, this is what I'm asking for. Save you some money, too, if you're thinking about it."

"I'm not even thinking about it at all."

"All I hear is you griping and complaining, but no hugging."

Struggling to stave off the urge to teleport out of those astonishingly strong limbs, Law relaxed his full weight onto the other man, causing him to grunt. But he managed to settle onto his side and administered an even stronger grunt from him by hugging him tightly. All at once, his body enjoyed this contact – it was the same and different at the same time. Every part of him sang out with relief because he wanted it to much but another part of him yielded caution because of their reaction; because he was also afraid of losing control of himself. But he relaxed into it because he _needed_ the other man's smell, he _needed_ his touch – it was frustrating not being able to _have_ it.

Sensing his mate's relaxation, Sanji managed to press a messy kiss against his cheek that he always used to do in response to the hug. He felt the man go suddenly rigid, so he rubbed his nose in his spit and hummed at the same time. Then he watched with horror as that entire area immediately flamed red, so he used a hand to wipe his spit away. Left behind were small bumps that looked increasingly alarming, leaving his heart thundering with regret. His own lips burned with irritation, causing him to wipe that area frantically.

Law tossed him aside and rose up from the floor with a sour look, wiping Sanji's spit from his face. Once he felt the inflamed area, he gave a vicious curse as Sanji looked at him with dread.

Law headed into the kitchen to rummage through the cupboards for some itch relief crème, Sanji standing there with a strong sense of rejection filling him up. He waited for the man to at least look at him, but once he didn't get it, he fiddled with his hair once more. All at once he was angry with himself for his wants and for the unwanted reaction.

"Sorry," he said gruffly and left the apartment.

Law slapped some crème on his face, then braced himself against the counter with a frustrated look. He wanted to chase after him, to at least assure Sanji that he was hurting too, but he held himself back. His body felt cold and empty – but it remembered every part of his omega. A rugged sense of physical craving hit him then, but his own mental state impatiently pushed that away.

 _If something good comes out of this_ , he reasoned with himself, _then it'll fall apart again_!

He hit the counter with frustration, an overwhelming surge of neediness clouding his judgement. He touched his face, which was wet with the crème he'd applied, feeling intensely let down with his body's reaction.

: :

Chopper had just finished drawing blood when Shanks swept into the room dramatically, startling both of them. Sanji relaxed when he realized Shanks was wearing a bright smile, holding onto the recent edition of Pelican News. It was nearly two weeks later, and he'd been feeling as if he were on a roller coaster of emotion and feelings of abandonment. Law's guard was up so high that Sanji felt like they'd returned back to phase one all over again. The man would barely speak to him and held himself with such hostile aggression that Sanji could barely get a word in. It felt like Law deliberately started fights with him to have the omega leaving him just to get his wind back.

It was awfully hard to find a balance, and Chopper had noticed his predicament, wanting him to come in for at least a pregnancy test.

"I swear, you're a difficult man to find," Shanks said with relief, walking over to Sanji while shaking out the paper. Sanji was sitting on the examination table – his shirt open to reveal red scratch marks all over his exposed flesh. But he buttoned up the shirt to the collar and tucked the ends into his trousers – Shanks noticed he was finally wearing shoes. His hair…Shanks repressed the urge to show any reaction to the messy nest of hair Sanji wore at his nape.

"Patient confidentiality, Shanks," Chopper reminded him with a haughty sniff, focused on packing the vials neatly within their carrier.

"What do you want?" Sanji asked Shanks crankily, rolling his sleeve down over his extraction site. His arm was also covered with scratches, Shanks noticed, trying not to make it obvious. An anxious omega was difficult to deal with, he knew.

 _He knew_ , he _understood_.

"Good news is, you don't have to announce it to everybody, but all unbonded omegas and alphas feel _relieved_ ," Shanks told him, winking deliberately and causing Sanji a look of impatience. He glanced over at the monster, relieved that Chopper hadn't told Shanks _everything_. "It's great that things were settled so quickly. _Marvelous_ even that despite your antagonistic natures that you both compromised…"

"Enough of your shit…what's the bad news?"

Shanks showed him the front page of the newsletter, where Sanji was treated to an article depicting a rundown of all murdered men that may have resembled him. "Still good news…they were all criminals in the first place."

"Of course they were, that land is lawless and unlike the paradise here…why is this even news? Even if they were good people," Sanji muttered, scratching at his neck and causing Shanks mild concern, "it'd be fine, anyway. It's a matter of survival. Hit or be hit. He chooses not to be hit first."

"Well, I suppose it's been some time since I've been there to remember these things," Shanks muttered back, frowning. "But since I'm scheduled to go back with the cargo ship, I'll never forget again. Bad news? The docks there was hit by a recent robbery of one of their short range ships…"

Sanji knew it before he could expand on it. "Those idiots stole a ship and they're on their way back."

"Yep. You're not sensing anything, aren't you? I realize that this is still fresh, so perhaps you still feel…bad things in the horizon."

"I only sensed Law incoming while he was four days away. With my new status, who knows? I have nothing to fear, anyway. The fucker takes care of everything that might cause me _limb or life_."

Shanks noticed the change in his tone, and reflected on the bitterness on his face. He shook the paper out before refolding it neatly against the chair while Chopper concentrated on the counter nearby. "It does feel like that, sometimes," he said with a sigh, leaning against the nearby table with his elbow. "Alphas are so bossy and controlling, but in the end, it _is_ for our safety and comfort."

Before Sanji could complain, Shanks gave a snarl. "It drives me up the fucking wall! Why can't he think about _my_ needs?"

Sanji stared flatly at him while Shanks composed himself roughly. "Anyway, that's a selfishness we omegas have to work through. I'm sure one day we'll look back and be appreciative…"

"I'm positive we'll be accompanying you back to mainland."

"Oh? That's a shame…the kids love their new teacher. And he is in consideration with the school board to move up a class. We want him all the way up to our college courses. I've been pushing for him to at least visit the alpha center to give him a few tips, but no luck…" Shanks leaned in to look Sanji directly in the eye. "It's up to you. You're not taking birth control, right? _Trap him_."

" _Shanks_!" Chopper barked out at him impatiently. "If you can't speak seriously here, then it's time you leave!"

"Ha ha! You're so _cute_ when you're issuing orders! I could eat you up!" Shanks squealed, already at his side and ruffling his fur. He snagged him from his chair and whirled him around as Chopper cried miserably. Sanji struggled to hold himself back as Chopper's sloppy noises rang out against Shanks' voice.

Once he returned Chopper back in his chair, the monster bracing himself against the armrests as his equilibrium reset, Shanks returned to Sanji.

"The ship isn't ready to set sail for another month and a half," he said, speaking seriously. "Those guys will get here earlier than that. So…what's the plan?"

"Once he senses our bond, it'll be nothing at all. He knows there will be no chance," Sanji said grimly. His hair hung messily around his face – Shanks wanted to cut it himself. "No chance, no need to fight."

"This is Luffy we're talking about? If he knows there's a chance and he has the will, he's going to challenge it."

"There's _no chance_."

"He's a determined, strong and stubborn kid, Sanji," Shanks reminded him – as if Sanji needed that reminder. "And Ace is no different. In fact, all those morons think similarly. It'll be a case of male ego against male ego. Even if there's no chance, Luffy will still want to test Law's might. Ace is curious. He has a grudge – always complaining about the things Law made him do. Zoro _loves_ fighting strong men. Ussop will hype them up and Franky will do what it takes to fit in. All that… _testosterone_ ….smothering all of us calmer dudes…"

Shanks winced, already tired and smothered just speaking about it, appearing years older in seconds. Because Sanji felt the same way, he couldn't help but mirror that expression. Sensing the sudden quiet, Chopper glanced over cautiously and immediately knew that mood. Alphas' and omegas' attitudes towards each other's varying natures tended to cause certain expressions, and since he was aware they were speaking about Luffy, Chopper knew the omegas were feeling the weight of alpha machismo.

"I'll convince them to take it away from here," Sanji said gruffly, scratching at his shoulder before idly flipping his hair over his shoulder. Most of it still hung over one side of his face, and he blew at it patiently.

"This anxiety," Shanks said pointedly, "is noticeable. Are you a cat scratching post?"

"There are _years_ of separation between us. It'll work out. It's not resolved that easily."

"Yes but… _for_ _how long_?"

"Not soon enough." Sanji refused to talk about it with Shanks.

Shanks realized he wouldn't get much from him, and sighed, knowing he couldn't do a thing about it. An outsider couldn't force a sensitive issue like that between a bonded pair. Each one was different with their own troubles – it was up to them.

"More good news, you're good to go," Chopper murmured once he had the results. "And you've been more in control of yourself without any combustion issues, why don't you ask Zeff for your old job back, Sanji? He misses you."

"I talk to him every day, and every day the answer is no."

"Your alpha's orders?" Shanks asked curiously.

"No…with the state of things, I feel like it'll be easy to lose control of myself once again," Sanji muttered, scratching hard at one forearm. "I might hack off more than just my fingers."

"Don't do it. It's not worth the aggravation," Shanks told him with a sigh, turning away. Sanji looked up, then at his missing arm. Alarm flittered to his face before he quickly put it away. "Anyway, that's that. I just think we should plan accordingly to what _may_ happen."

Sanji exhaled lightly. "Well…considering that anything I say won't hold much weight with him, why don't _you_ go and talk to him?"

Shanks turned and frowned at him. "Don't give that alpha all the power, Sanji. It's about balance."

"Yes, but…he's got a better idea on how to handle things, so I'll allow him that control to do so. I don't have much weight with him."

Still frowning, Shanks felt a bit of disappointment in that statement. Sanji avoided looking at him. Not knowing what really troubled them both, Shanks could only assume it was control issues between two very head strong men. He gave a grim nod, then looked to Chopper. "Wish me luck. Usually I lose my head over there."

"Want me to give you a suppressant?"

"You know, in another world, you so easily giving out prescribed medicine would label you as a criminal. _No_. I can be strong without it."

Chopper wondered if he'd been lectured but Shanks excused himself with a jaunty pep to his step. Lifting a furry eyebrow, he then looked to Sanji.

"Don't give up!" he said cheerily. "I'd suggested to Law that perhaps I could administer an allergen shot to you both to build up your tolerance levels, so I'm wondering if you would take up on that offer?"

"Why didn't he?"

Chopper sighed noisily. "Because he wants to build up to it naturally. I don't know, it's alpha related pride, I suppose. I do want to talk to his doctor but I learned recently he doesn't even visit that center for regular checkups! And the doctor is so intolerant of alpha attitudes that he doesn't seek Law out, either!"

"Dr…Crocus?"

"He's a good doctor, just…incredibly…different." Chopper looked pained.

"How about if I approach him - ?"

"Crocus doesn't tolerate omegas, either. You'll end up killing him, Sanji, knowing you."

"Then…this is at Law's pace," Sanji decided grimly, hands entwining together. "And knowing him…I want to cooperate with him, Chopper, but he's…rigid."

"But haven't you always been persistent? Why give up now?"

"I'm not giving up! I'm just…" Reluctantly, Sanji added, "It feels like all of nature is against us. It's not fair. We've come such a long way and now…"

"It isn't always easy, I understand. But think about the big steps you've both taken so far! Can't you be nullified with that?"

Sanji exhaled. "Well, I know why he's so guarded. I want to respect that and…also kill him for being so stubborn. He's too afraid of letting go of his control and responsibility because he fears that something terrible would happen."

Chopper nodded grimly. "But he'll need you now, more than ever, because Luffy and the others will be here, soon. And those morons…well…they're the worst."

Sanji agreed with him. "Oh yes. _They are_. But no matter what, I'll always be on Law's side."

"If that's all you can do, then do it with all your heart, Sanji." Narrowing his eyes, Chopper then said, "For those idiots, it's male ego that will drive them to challenge Law, and Luffy's own alpha driven instinct to claim you. So…only you can do this. _Can you_?"

Sanji nodded, and Chopper felt relieved with that.

The door opened once more. Law walked in cautiously, much to their surprise. Attuned to the heavy atmosphere, he gave a reluctant frown as he shut the door behind him. Despite the warm weather, he wore a turtleneck and long sleeved shirt, and jeans over boots. His hairstyle was rumpled and unkept, in need of a trim. His heavily shadowed eyes looked worse, and his facial hair was in need of trimming. Clearly, he was affected by the state of things, and Chopper couldn't help but give him a look of sympathy.

Sullenly, Law muttered, "I didn't know you had an appointment, today…"

"You weren't around for me to say anything," Sanji snapped at him, feeling hot anger flash through him. For a moment, Law wanted to respond similarly to that. But he took a deep breath, settled the rage, and glanced at Chopper, who froze in the midst of the rising heat in the room.

"I…apologize," Law offered tentatively, scratching at his neck.

Chopper noticed that his hands were chapped and peeling at the knuckles, clear indication of constant hand washing and scratching. _This alpha was clearly in distress_ , he thought. Either fighting himself or – he sniffed tentatively, eyes widening briefly. _Oh, that_ …

"I…thought it might be serious…"

"To see if I were pregnant?"

"I've been monitoring you myself," Law told him haughtily, causing Sanji to remember that Law could use his Room to find and assimilate with him to know what was wrong with his body. "I could have told you myself whether or not you were."

"Then why are you here?" Sanji asked him sullenly, scratching at his hands with hard, angry scrapes.

Law gave a reluctant shrug. He watched Sanji's actions, a little captivated by the gesture. If Sanji was anxious, then perhaps he was thinking – _and craving_ – the same thing. Law struggled to focus on the situation, to pull himself apart from the intensity of his own emotions and wants.

"It has been a weird rollercoaster of emotions, lately, I just thought that something must be occurring for you to be so stressed."

"Or, you could, y'know, _ask_ me yourself."

 _And risk breaking down_? Law thought with frustration. He had been avoiding Sanji because of his craving and his own emotional wellbeing. He was clearly failing at it. He then looked to Chopper. "Why is Shanks looking for me?"

"Um…well, Luffy stole a boat and is on his way here."

"I already know. I can _feel_ him for myself," Law muttered with irritation. Sanji was surprised to hear that, considering he felt nothing.

"I didn't feel anything," Sanji murmured.

Law reached out to touch his messy hair, wearing an expression of distaste. "Have you not done anything with this? Why do you allow yourself to look so…poor?"

Sanji jerked his hair out of his grasp.

Realizing he was easily sidetracked, Law cleared his throat and wore an intense expression. But he was struggling with himself because all he wanted to do was look at Sanji and speak only to him. Being with him in the room was intensely distracting – he could smell, sense, see and hear him, and it drove all his senses crazy. He knew this would happen, and yet he couldn't stop himself. He was losing a battle he'd had so much confidence he'd win, and it was causing him chaos. Just like it had when he'd faced Kid all those years ago…

He reasoned that if Chopper was in the room, he'd be discouraged from falling prey to his own instincts to maul his omega. It was ridiculous how much his physical being cried for relief and _against_ pain in a tremendously loud voice. He wanted to be in prime condition once those idiots arrived – not covered in rashes because he wanted his omega's comfort. But he was _craving_ …

Condescendingly, knowing it would drive his omega into a rage and help him fight the craving, Law answered, "You wouldn't because it's an alpha thing. We sense strong opponents upon instinct and, depending on our conditions, it's up to us whether or not to respond. It's not something an omega should worry about."

Sanji stared at him with warning. He could sense Law under a tremendous amount of pressure but he couldn't separate them to understand what it was that was bothering the man. The alpha sure was confusing…

"Are you trying to soothe me, or agitate me?" he asked cautiously.

"Take it however you want, I don't care."

Sanji purpled with rising anger, then struggled to stave himself of it once Law looked dismissively at his fingernails.

"Like in the wild…? Challenging each other over a mate?" Chopper asked curiously, writing hastily on a notepad.

"He's not a challenge to me," Law told him firmly. He reached out and dropped a hand onto the back of Sanji's neck, giving it a couple of stiff pats. Sanji looked to his arm then to him like he was confused to the gesture. "It's because my mate is worrying himself sick and it's prompting me to feel as if I _should_ be challenged."

" _Sorry_ if I'm making you sick!" Sanji snapped at him. He swatted his arm away angrily.

" _I told you_ there is nothing to be worried about," Law snapped back over him, looking at his hand and cursing himself for it. He wiped his hand on his jeans. "I have the situation under my control. Of course, I understand the potential for innocents to fall prey to any sort of destruction that might be out there, and I feel that it is important to discuss a course of action in case those morons decide to act out. However, I had already spoken to Mihawk about it, so there is no need for me to speak to Shanks…"

"You alphas _cannot_ go over the heads of your omegas," Chopper muttered with exhaustion. "They tend to feel left out."

"The important thing is, it's handled. And stop your worrying, it's only your omega instincts at work fearing another alpha, and it's insulting!" Law then retorted towards Sanji, who rolled his eyes. "If you'll remain calm and think about these things logically, you'll understand that it isn't as alarming as you're making it out to be."

"I can see where there is counseling needed," Chopper said stiffly. "Both of you speak _at_ each other, not to each other."

"Unfortunately, it has always been this way," Law replied.

"It could change!" Sanji snapped at him. "Why are you so - ?"

" _Shh_ , the adults are talking." Law turned to him, fingers over his mouth. Sanji immediately stifled himself from combusting as Law then looked at his fingers, then at his mouth. But he couldn't tell if Sanji was red because of his overwhelming emotions or if it were a reaction.

"It is _my_ duty to make sure _my_ omega is safe," Law then stressed, opening the door, "but it is also _his_ duty not to worry about things that isn't in his control. Perhaps he should take up knitting, or flower arranging to settle his stress."

After the door shut behind him, Sanji fumed. A few moments later, flame alit around him. " _I want to kill him_! What is his _problem_?"

Chopper gave a low whistle as he fanned himself with his notepad.

He said, "It's that alpha aggression of his – but point noted, he's aware of Luffy's presence. With you being unable to sense him…it is quite indicative that you feel safe under your alpha's control. Sanji."

Once Sanji turned to look at him, Chopper managed a weak smile. "Clearly, his appearance suggests that he doesn't feel as in control as he verbally suggests. This thing between you two is affecting him, too. These little things…they will straighten out. All it takes is time and patience."

"None of which I have!' Sanji snapped, hopping off the table. He slammed the door on the way out, and Chopper winced.

"That's because you _both_ are stupid boneheads," he muttered bitterly to himself.

The door opened again, and Sanji peered in at him, so Chopper thought he'd been caught badmouthing him. "Does my mouth look red?" he then asked Chopper curiously. The monster examined him, then gave a reluctant shrug.

"A little."

Giving a tilt of his head, Sanji suddenly seemed to brighten up. "He's _testing_ me!" he then told Chopper happily. "He's checking to see if I'd - !"

He gave an excited gasp, then slammed the door shut. Chopper gave a bewildered tilt of his head, unable to understand what that flurry of words meant. Both of them were trouble and capable of causing him a headache a mile wide. He then remembered the suppressants he was about to give Sanji for his turmoil, but he realized that perhaps it wasn't needed. He _did_ smell Law's pheromones flare up upon his entrance into the room, so perhaps…

He decided to be prepared, anyway, tucking away the supply in a small bottle. He would deliver it to Law's apartment later.


	19. Chapter 19

**: : Nineteen**

* * *

Sanji caught up to Law on the road towards the city. He was surprised to see him walking rather than using his teleportation method to return back to his home; Sanji had expected that he'd eventually catch up to him there, but this was better. All that heavy weight he had been carrying recently, brooding over the entire ordeal, seemed to lighten significantly with just that simple appearance. He could smell the strong, familiar scent of Law's pheromones wafting along behind him – all Sanji's senses told him Law was battling himself again, straining not to respond to them. It made Sanji a little senseless himself, inhaling that scent and feeling his own body perk and warm with interest. But he needed to concentrate. Lighting up a cigarette that effectively helped cloak over the scent of Law's pheromones, he strolled up alongside him, Law looking at him with irritation. He flicked his hair over his shoulder, grinning around his cigarette butt.

"What was that about?" he asked, folding his hands behind his back.

"For once, you're wearing shoes," Law observed with some surprise of his own. Then he looked at the omega with examination – feeling hunger grip every part of him. This once noisy child was a _man_ – with all the potential to grow. Sanji was still of lengthy limbs and seemingly awkward movement as he matured but he was definitely a man.

Sanji caught his expression, momentarily stumbling with his snarky reply. Law hastily looked down between them, but Sanji was fully aware of the older man's examination. He didn't feel like he'd been looked at like how the other men had when he was a child – appraised for what value he could be. He'd been appraised with appreciation. So it made him glow – despite his mean attitude and pushy temperament, Law valued him physically.

It was frustrating that the older man fought himself like this, but Sanji was used to seeing it. He decided not to make a big deal out of it, by saving the older man's stumble with light ignorance on the matter.

"The old man I meet with – he said my feet were soft. Walking around barefoot toughens them up."

 _Whoever this old man was_ , Law thought, _knew his stuff_. He'd seen for himself just how tough Sanji's feet were in that battle the first time. They could flatten areas of rock and easily whip through trees, so Law had no doubt of that old man's methods. Whatever relationship they had…Law allowed because Sanji wasn't a physical weakling. He could sense his own alpha pride in that, allow some respect. And relief – because his omega had been _safe_.

Every acknowledgement of that security only happened to instill some relief in him, not agitate him.

"What was _what_ about?" he then muttered, finding himself distracted once more.

The sounds of the outskirts of the city were obvious over the gentle calls of birds in the trees and the faint, faraway sounds of farming equipment and factories buzzed below that. There were children's voices echoing all around them. Young and older, those voices were something he couldn't quite get used to. There were so many – so much more than he'd ever seen on the mainland. This island was a paradise that he'd only dreamed of, but as an adult, he could not enjoy.

He could see the entire area in flames, with men in armor and ragged clothing forcing scared and crying children in cages. Savaging the girls old enough to have bodies resembling a woman's, and killing boys that could give them trouble. He'd seen those scenes for himself, being part of Doflamingo's army. He saw battles ringing out, with alphas laughing in glee over their actions and causing blood to stain the neat pathways. He could imagine this paradise falling and it was an unwilling image. There would be ships in the harbor, floating menacingly with sails depicting various crossbones, waiting for cargo and new slaves. Fire and smoke drowning out the sun. Birds fleeing with frightful cries while the stench of death and gunpowder rested in the unsettled air.

"This place could fall within hours," he said bitterly. "All the adults here are simpering wimps who could only do so much to fight. Do they all expect Mihawk and Shanks to do something? Why isn't there better methods of resistance available, at least at the shoreline?"

Sanji watched him from the corner of his eye. _There he was_ , he thought. _There's that stupid older boy_. _Mind always working on something else rather than enjoying the moment now_.

His heart clutched involuntarily. He wished he could be that older boy's peace and quiet, but that boy kept him at arm's length; too scared to let anything in that could make him weak and vulnerable – truly, Sanji's empathy didn't have to stretch far for Law, no matter what happened between them.

"First off, the wall stops ninety percent of sea travelers," Sanji said reassuringly. "No one but experienced navigators get through that. Second, it's Mihawk himself that does the prevention work if they should slip through. I don't doubt that man's sword."

"Just _one_ man?" Law asked skeptically. "While his omega gallivants all over the mainland, calling out for children? There should _at least_ be an army here."

"The people you think are weak and useless really aren't," Sanji told him. "You dismiss them because they aren't pinging off your danger radar. The island isn't like the mainland, Law."

Law gave a frown, admitting that it wasn't. His constant anxiety over basic survival had been reduced to a confused whimper in the time he'd spent here. If he were hungry, there was food. If he needed basic things, it was available. With so many kids present, there wasn't the fearful tension that had seemed to hang over the land like an ominous cloud. Everything was so bright and lively here.

But as someone that had grown up in those dangerous conditions – it wasn't that easy to let go.

Tentatively, Sanji reached out to lightly touch the small of his back. It was amazing when Law didn't evade the gesture.

"That old man I talk to – he fights with his legs. Or rather, leg. His friends aren't wimps, either. The docs at the alpha and omega centers are strong enough to stop us in our tracks – the docks are littered with older alphas who can easily bypass younger alphas' aggression while their omegas handle the shoreline with their own methods. The kids are taught self-defense and are shown safety rooms and tunnels throughout the island they're directed to flee to. There is _always_ a plan."

"Why you so worried about that, anyway?" Sanji then asked him curiously, dropping his hand. "You cannot stop stressing over how lax the island is on security. Like you're worried about it for yourself."

"I see all the holes and it irritates me."

"Was Spider Miles so perfectly guarded?"

"Of course!"

"Then how'd _he_ fall? Didn't you mention those in opposition of him rose up in numbers and penetrated those walls?"

"Which is _exactly_ what could happen here. There are unguarded omegas that have never known fear that those other ones do. Aggressive alphas without a touch of survival instinct – they're just dumb, lumbering animals - !"

"So, what you're saying is, only _you_ can do all the saving."

"I'm not saying _I_ can," Law interrupted him while Sanji wore a smug expression, "I'm just saying, I see all the holes!"

Sanji was only smug because it was apparent Law wasn't a total asshole – it was the opposite. He was intense because he inwardly cared for the wellbeing of others. Sanji wished others could see what he did. "Then why don't _you_ do the patching?"

"Because it's - !" Law cut himself off and looked to Sanji with renewed irritation.

" _Law_. Why can't you just enjoy the picture as it is?"

"Because I'm a realist, not a fucking optimist."

"And you worry constantly because you don't want others to feel the same sort of pain you did," Sanji pointed out. Law frowned at him, then opened his mouth to argue before Sanji continued with, "And don't even deny it because every time you open your mouth, it's to detail exactly what happened to you, so you speak of prevention methods that make sense just to make _yourself_ feel better."

"That's an omega way of thinking," Law muttered. "Trying to attribute trauma over logic."

Sanji gave him an aggravated look. He reached out and pulled at his goatee to say sternly, "We are _all alone_ here. And every time you think you have to put on a fucking show to show off how fucking manly you are, you are wrong."

Law yanked himself away from his grasp, rubbing at his chin with a defiant expression.

"The only ones you need to impress are those morons on their way here, and that's a childish man-show that doesn't need any weight in front of these kids!"

"And don't give me any attitude about how weak and stupid they are compared to your mega brain," he added before Law could say anything. "Instead of cutting down others to make yourself look bigger than them, I hope you have a plan. You'll need me to give you some helpful advice, so ask me _nicely_."

Law stared at him with considerable aggravation while Sanji finished his cigarette. He reached out and snatched the end from him, tossing it onto the ground where he could ground out the ember with a boot heel. Crossing his arms tightly over his chest, he said simply, "Speak."

"No 'please'?" Sanji returned, crossing his arms in a similar stance.

"First off, my plan is ready," Law said. "I have details nailed down to time. I have Mihawk already in position. With the right bottle of wine, he can be prompted to ignore Shanks' stupid interjections, and I have already calculated the ship's incoming pathway. Considering that their navigator will be either Sabo or Franky, they will cut through the wall with a ship less designed for long range travel, which means it'll be fragile incoming. The walls are already a route with tree roots and rock pillars, which, with Franky's shipwright abilities, will be catered to with extra accessories to prevent the hull from cracking. I've seen the way he designed their ship in the lagoon, along with the details necessary to prevent its destruction while tethered to accommodate a tide in that cavern. So I expect him to have performed the necessary arrangements to modify that ship in mid-run, which means they will be shoddy in design considering that the ship's already in motion and he can't account for the hull while it's in water."

Sanji wore a confused expression. "Where did you find the wine?"

"I pulled some visible chests from the wreckage embedded within the tree roots. I lucked out with that."

Sanji couldn't help but be a little impressed. "But…"

"I'm not an alcoholic, I don't touch that stuff, but there's always an alcoholic in the bunch so why not use it as a negotiation piece?" Law said in response, preventing him from asking any further. "Stop interrupting me."

Once Sanji indicated that he go on, Law continued with, "They will be busy trying to keep that shit ship together – considering Luffy's abilities, which render him rubber, he'll have a stretch range depending on his own determination – leaving him open to attack from any angle should he push forward on his own. Considering he couldn't swim in the first place, the sea between the wall and here will be my place of advantage.

"Zoro is with three swords – considering he was of mighty strength before, he'll most likely be at Luffy's back to watch him from any attacks from any direction other than the sea. Considering his sword work, he can generate air attacks that can either match or is less then level with Mihawk. I am also bearing in mind that he can generate air attacks from long distances – Mihawk adopted him, so it's safe to assume that Zoro's sword work matches his. Mihawks', considering Shanks complete trust in him to guard an entire island, can be counted up a mightier attack that could slice island level upon certain distance. Ussop is the marksman, but he's also Franky's apprentice – he'll be too involved with keeping the ship together upon entrance, but since he was also a crybaby as a child – keeping in mind your stories of him as well as Nami's confirmation upon the stitches of conversation I overhead between you two while sharing memories, he'll be too cowardly to do any outward attacks, so therefore he'll find advantage to also hide himself while looking for the right shot. It won't take much to intimidate him. Sabo is the calm one – he'll gently encourage but be vigilant at his own brother's backs, so his attack will come from either above or directly behind Zoro's, considering the angle he's allowed to move in. He's the only good swimmer of the group – at the time of childhood, he was able to hold his breath for exactly two minutes fishing out the other morons from their own swimming travesties. Unfortunately, because he stuck so closely with those two, he won't perform any attacks on his own, which allows me the advantage of taking him out so that the other two are driven into a rage, which clouds their thinking.

"Ace rushes head first into a foray – using strength and speed. He'll either match Luffy or continue to outreach him – he'll use Luffy's stretching abilities to achieve first hit. Considering he may still be bullish in attitude, he'll want to 'beat' Luffy before Luffy could reach the scene. I can use that against him."

Sanji was slightly impressed but didn't show this as he signaled for Law to continue.

"I have my attacks planned accordingly to each man," Law finished smugly. "Of which I won't reveal to you, as they are your little friends and your sympathy reaches bounds of which I don't _want_ to comprehend. Of course, your loyalty will be first to me, so your course of action will to reason with them before I can lay a hand on them. You'll do your best to prevent the battle, but their attitudes, their ego, will overcome your common sense, rendering you useless on the battlefield between men."

"But you won't be laying your hands on them," Sanji interrupted, ignoring his jabs. "You are a long range attack. You'll take them down before I can even say or do anything from the island."

"Of course. This is my preferred method. Since my Room stretches beyond their ability to comprehend it that it's there, they won't know they've entered my territory before it's too late. Mihawk's only worry is keeping their attacks from reaching the island first. Counting on his method, I can attack without worry that it'll affect the children and other weaklings laying claim to this island, here."

Sanji smiled at him, but it was so condescending and smug that Law resisted the urge to make an expression of his own.

"You're so _cute_ ," Sanji then murmured, reaching up to pat his chest. "You sound so confident and sure of yourself. Your mega brain has it all figured out. All my confidence resides in your hands."

"Of course, you'll tell me if any of this is wrong. If I've either miscalculated their abilities or if they have new ones."

" _Oh, of course_!"

Law then added, looking him over with regret, "It's a shame we're allergic to each other. Otherwise, I'd make sure you weren't involved at all."

"And how would you accomplish that?" Sanji asked curiously, perking up with interest. A slight blush colored his cheeks. "Tell me in detail."

"Your splattered blood would give me a rash, and I'd rather my hands were clean."

"…You're such a _virgin_. Of course you'd go the blood and guts way. Could've knocked me down a peg if you were of a different path. I'd be flattered and asked you to try. Death threats are _boring_ , Law," Sanji said with a disappointed sigh. "We're adults, try another route."

" _Ew_. Don't ruin this conversation with your childish prodding for adult topics. I don't have time for that." Law turned his look to the harbor. "There's plenty of supplies for me to acquire, down there. Penguin has given me his full report of their supplies and tools. The ship those morons come here with will be their last ship. And the one that's nestled in the lagoon will be ours to leave this fake paradise. I already had Shachi manipulating his surroundings in order to pack what is essential in that ship."

Shoulders hunching, Sanji gave him a tired look. He reached out with one arm and slung it around the taller man's shoulders, causing him to stumble a bit.

He turned on his most pitiful Luffy expression, batting his eyes as Law gave him a startled look, straining to avoid skin to skin contact. "Your mind must be so _tired_ from all the running and flailing it's doing to allow you to prove your worth and might against those pretend threats you've dreamed up," Sanji whispered. "The whole world isn't for you to wage war against. Can't you allow _us_ to rest for a moment?"

"You were _spoiled_ living here," Law snapped at him, shoving him away and adjusting his turtleneck. "Thinking that there are no threats to you has made you weak and soft."

"Just like how you like it, dear," Sanji said with a malicious grin.

Because he had clear and invasive memory of what happened between them, Law felt himself flush with mortification. He wasn't able to control himself – he couldn't control his words of praise while he was enjoying the open and wet fruits of Sanji's very willing body. Sanji once again slung his arm around his shoulder, seizing the opening while Law floundered in his own mental stumble.

Before Law could get his mind back, Sanji wrapped his arms around his neck – careful not to touch skin to skin – and whispered, "There's enough time between then and there to recover, isn't there?"

Law was horrified to feel himself weaken to that suggestion. Every part of his body screamed out for a repeat of that night – his very being _craved_ the physical action and attention. His mind rebelled against the pressing concern of their skin agitation, and another part, his heart, wanted to feel comfort itself. He could feel for himself how much Sanji wanted him– it was as if his body had simply been waiting for the omega's consent to weaken from his rigid guarding.

He looked down at the omega, whose own rigid expression earlier had softened significantly; away from his earlier mocking expression of pity, away from his own arguments – it was just the pair of them, caught up in each other and forgetting about their constant warring. His blood started to warm and pump feverishly as his steady thinking of guarding himself started to fall away. He'd been weak in the first place, seeking Sanji out at the center, testing their skin reactions. He was weaker still once his omega had him in his grasp, because all of Law's senses went away the moment his body and mind felt safe and secure within the omega's care. His body shifted differently, and Law couldn't fight that.

 _The man was practically already putty in his hands_ , Sanji realized. But he didn't manipulate any further or intend on ruining the moment with some snarky comment – his own heart sang out with joy, his own rigid attitude standing down to reflect gratuity and immense relief. Carefully, hands settled over Law's thick hair, he urged the man's head down to his; using his own messy hair to prevent skin to skin contact, but being close enough to feel his hot breath on his head.

"Find your peace in me," he whispered, practically begging him to. He reached up to grip his shirt, fisting his hand in it. "Don't _think_ …don't think about anything…!"

Law found his hands shaking as he reached for Sanji's hair, threading his fingers in the messy strands. But he wasn't holding to hurt – just to brace himself against the other man, soaking him in. It felt like his mind was whirling to a slow stop, clearing briefly of all of his chaotic thoughts. All he sensed was his omega right in front of him. Sanji's pheromones hit him suddenly, responding to his own with acceptance and invitation.

One of Sanji's hands pressed against his stomach, touching and searching him outside of his shirt. If they couldn't have skin to skin contact, there was always other methods right up to the act, Law reasoned. But it wouldn't be enough because of course his nature was to dictate that he absolutely needed to breed – it was hard to think when both of their pheromones were being breathed in, suffocating them. He couldn't stretch his mind to fight against it.

The sharp cut of the smell of the cigarette brought Law back to his senses. He instantly recalled Corazon smoking constantly – did he do it to fight their invasive pheromones, too? With heavy reluctance, he pulled away from Sanji.

"You don't smoke enough," he muttered, lengthening his stride as Sanji looked after him with outrage.

" _Why_ \- ? Ugh!" Sanji exclaimed, feeling uncomfortable as his body reacted with discomfort, losing connection with the older man. "It's not fair!"

"What's _not fair_?" Law asked, whirling around to face him with strain.

"Fighting yourself. Fighting _me_. I hate that you keep doing this to yourself! What's the harm of just…letting yourself go?" Sanji asked, striding forward to catch up with him. "There's nothing wrong with just…letting our instincts go, to find each other, to express…affection. There's nothing wrong with it, we aren't children, it's fine to do!"

Law heard his raw desperation, and felt guilt eat at himself. He was uncomfortable with dealing with it. He fiddled with his chapped hands, scratching at his raw knuckles. Then he entwined his own fingers together to clench hard, struggling to ignore the persistent itch.

After some moments, he said, "If I do…something will happen. Something…to tear us apart again. And I can't risk that. Things are going well here, aren't they?"

"Yeah, they are. We're _safe_ , Law."

"Not safe enough. Not in this world. There's always something on the horizon, stupid. Something that is just waiting for me to slip up."

"That's not entirely your responsibility – I'm not a fucking kid anymore! _I_ ," Sanji insisted, closing the distance between them once more, reaching out to hold onto Law's clenched hands, "can take care of myself. I can take care of you, too, it's not just _your_ sole responsibility! That's an impossible standard to have, and you have to stop killing yourself over it!"

"Let me take over, now," Sanji begged, holding tightly once he felt Law's hands tense under his. Looking down at them, Law saw the way his two stiff fingers refused to bend with the others. Seeing the scars, the obvious stitching and methods of reattachment caused all the hostile and angry swirling inside of him pause momentarily. "And if not take over the entire responsibility, let me _help_. I've always been a great help to you, haven't I? When we get along, we can do so much together. We can do fantastic things."

"I can't be soft," Law muttered bitterly. He recalled saying that to Corazon years ago, Corazon looking back at him with disappointment. Law remembered feeling lost and upset when the man disappeared with Brook and Perona, and all those feelings surged back into him.

"Look," Sanji clutched his hands tighter once he sense Law's tension, "our past was fucked up, there's no doubt about that. You had to take on responsibilities no kid should ever have to, and you did such a fantastic job of it. You did well. But that's over with, now. We reached the island you wanted us to make, we all grew up to be these, fine independent guys that can go out and return the favor to others. And it's all because of you! And I can't express enough how… _thankful_ I am for you. I am lucky to have you as my mate, no matter what's said or done between us because you were…exactly what I needed at that time. You've done enough. _Please_ …just…allow me to help you. Let me pick up, because you don't have to be that kid, anymore."

Law did see the logic in his past efforts. He'd wanted the kids, his mate, to be _safe_. To reach the island he'd heard all about, dreaming about what it could give to them. And because of his sacrifice, they'd all made it to this island, and had grown up to be rather…well, he'd have to meet the others to understand what he'd contributed to. But Sanji was proof in front of him that his goals were met. Despite their separation and what it did to them both, Sanji was still that boy that chased after him and expressed his affection in some shape or form.

Corazon had done that for them. Whatever happened to him after…at least Law was still alive, Law reasoned.

Sanji smiled lightly, sensing Law's slight give. He reached up to carefully touch Law over his hair, forcing him to look at him. He didn't say anything, just hoping against hope Law was allowing himself to think about these things. He understood Law was used to seeing the worst, but Sanji really wanted to show him the best of life. He wanted Law to let him do that.

It was difficult to allow himself to relax, but Law felt tired at that moment. The fight inside of himself was constantly exhausting. He could feel that when Sanji looked at him in this way.

Sanji felt like he'd won when Law dropped his forehead down onto his shoulder. He hugged him tightly, resisting the urge to laugh with delight, to squeeze the other man with all his joy and relief. But he pressed his head up against the other man's, exhaling with all the pent up tension in him.

"That's it," he wheezed. "Rest your weary head on my manly shoulder."

"Don't get the wrong idea," Law muttered gruffly, closing his eyes to breathe in his omega's scent. It was absurd how relaxing that gesture was. Inhaling Sanji and feeling all his muscles and blood react with a sensation of safe fatigue. "I'm just…really tired. You're exhausting."

Sanji laughed, underhooking his arms around Law to hug him. He then breathed in deeply of his alpha's scent, feeling rejuvenated and happy. "Then, let's rest. There's nothing to do today, right? Let's just snuggle the time away and think up clever ways to play with each other without causing a rash."

"Ahh, that's weird," Law muttered, trying not to think of Sanji as a kid as he felt the eagerness of the omega's affection pour out against him.

"But think of how fast we'd come to this moment," Sanji said, tentatively allowing his fingers to brush up against the back of Law's neck. He felt the man tense in reaction, so he pulled back. Capturing one of his hands, Sanji forced Law to touch his face so he could see for himself the product of this action.

Sluggishly, Law watched as it caused Sanji's face to redden ever so slightly. The back of his neck rippled with a low grade itch.

But then he noticed the expression change on Sanji's face, the smell of his pheromones flaring up in response to their closeness. His own perked with interest, and it was startling how fast Law's own body and mind changed in reaction. It was almost frustrating how easy it was to forget the consequences of their actions.

He wanted nothing more than just ignoring those consequences, and pushing ahead. He surged forward to pull him off his feet, looking intently into his face. Sanji grew meek at the intensity of his expression, but he didn't express fear. Just a response of renewed interest that matched Law's. He didn't even mind being held up the way he was, like some dainty princess, feeling breathless with the way Law held him against him with his strong hands at Sanji's upper thighs. All his muscles twitched with reaction, body heating with renewed interest all over again. He braced himself lightly against Law's broad shoulders, feeling his entire, rigid stance relax into putty.

"Are we going to ignore those other things?" Sanji whispered tentatively, touching his face as his breath quickened. "Because I don't give a fuck. I want you."

"Do you need me?" Law asked him, feeling his chest tighten as his fingers clutched insistently at Sanji's thighs, thumbs brushing up against the strong curves of his backside.

Sanji answered with certainty. "I _need_ you."

Law knew the other two were gone - they had important matters to attend to. Once at the apartment, he pushed Sanji into his room and shut the door behind him as Sanji stumbled. Both of them were breathing heavily, unable to focus on anything else. They immediately came together, hands bunching into clothing while being unable to look away. Moments were spent fighting against the urge to join immediately, seeking to slow the mad rush of need. Law pushed him down onto his futon, fingers bunching up in the material of Sanji's shirt. It exposed his skin, showed off all new and old scratch patches. The smell emanating from Sanji drove Law senseless as buttons fell prey to his fierce grasp. Once he had Sanji's chest exposed he pressed his face up against his skin while Sanji clutched at his hair - to either push him away with panic or keep Law close. Sanji didn't know.

He tilted his head back, exhaling heavily as his head swam with hot lust. He could feel Law's breath against him, pimpling him with goosebumps. Every exhalation against his skin was hot and frantic, the feel of his goatee causing Sanji a shiver. Every part of him was trembling uncontrollably as his groin grew warm and pressing, his pants uncomfortable. Law couldn't pull away from Sanji, aware that his own skin was tingling in warning. But he opened his mouth and tasted Sanji's shivering flesh, his saliva slicked tongue leaving a trail of moisture between Sanji's pecs. Sanji whimpered, knees trembling as he opened them, shifting to close Law between them. His hands went to the other man, fingers closing over the material of his shirt. He couldn't catch his breath.

Now that he had a taste, his senses ringing with need, Law moved over Sanji to settle between his legs. Reaching back to pull one around him - sliding a hand over one shivering thigh, he moved up between them to find Sanji's erection, held tight within his trousers. Sanji gasped low, pushing his hips up into Law's touch.

His blood felt like it was on fire, every part of him crying for more sensation. He shifted about restlessly, his ass clenching as his body ached for a connection. His eyes were desperate as he looked to Law, unable to say anything. Sanji reached up to frame his face with both hands, wearing all his desperation in his expression. Rubbing his palm up against his dick, Law watched Sanji's face, delighting in his building discomfit. He wanted his omega to beg for him, despite the obvious. All of Sanji was shaking under him, his leg hooking around Law with strength.

Law didn't care about the feel of heat and slow itching at his own exposed skin, at the tingle left behind on his tongue. He leaned down to lick over a small, open space of Sanji's flesh, moving over his nipple. He suckled that gently, the flavor inflaming his own senses. The omega made a low sound, pulling his face towards his. Law held back, both of them breathing harshly against each other as their eyes locked. Sanji humped up against him, using Law's body to seek friction.

" _Please_ ," Sanji whispered desperately. "Please please please...!"

"You want me?" Law teased him gruffly, outlining the form of Sanji's dick with one hand, bracing himself over the omega with his other hand. "You want my dick?"

" _Yes_ , yes, _please_...!" Sanji panted with effort, nodding and pushing at him with frantic action. Undoing his own pants, pushing them down, he watched his alpha urgently for his agreement. " _Please_ , I'm all wet for you...!"

Law checked for himself to see if Sanji was prepared for him, and was surprised by the amount of fluid that had escaped his clenching anus. The runny fluid had already smeared down his ass cheeks, soaked into his underwear. The smell was thick and fragrant, causing his own senses to heighten. He couldn't play with him any longer, his own dick throbbing with its own demand.

As he hastily pulled open his own jeans and shuffled out of his underwear, Sanji touched his rigid length with hot hands. The omega then reached and smeared his own lubrication fluid from his ass onto Law's dick as Law tossed aside his pants.

Ignoring the obvious warning from their warring body fluids and skin reactions, Law didn't give Sanji time to open up for him. He thrust in with a growl as Sanji cried out, his body reacting with a jolt. But his ass seemed to eat up at Law ravenously, clutching around his dick tightly. Law lost his mind at the sensation that felt suffocating - pushing in as far as he could go while Sanji's hips jumped to meet him. His legs wrapped around Law's hips, jolting harshly as Law shifted into a sturdy position to pull out and push in.

" _Yes_!" Sanji wheezed, feeling complete all over again. He strained back, shoulders digging into the futon as he stretched his hips up - trying to hold Law's moving dick inside of him. Every move Law made caused Sanji's body distress - he wanted it, he didn't want it this way. He couldn't quite settle on what he wanted but Law knew what _he_ wanted. He watched Sanji's body jolt every time he thrusted fiercely into him, gripping one bony hip to hold Sanji's lower body in position.

Law couldn't quite clear his head, couldn't think. All he could do was drive over and over into Sanji's slick, wet heat, nestling his dick deep into him. His heart pounded noisily, heavily with his movements. He could smell nothing but Sanji - heard only him and his heavy panting, see his reaction to Law's movements. Sanji clearly needed him, he needed Law's dick and needed to be bred. Law needed to abide by that, needed to give him what his body wanted.

Before he could cum, he pulled out. Sanji cried out like an animal in distress, reaching for Law's dick with both hands. Law watched him do it but held himself back, delighted by his omega's desperation.

" _Please_...!" Sanji begged him, shifting his hips towards Law. Law turned him over, placing his knees over Sanji's thighs to trap his lower body. Then he forced himself back inside of Sanji, the omega's shoulders bunching up as he braced himself against the futon. Sanji bit down in Law's pillow while Law drove in and out of him, balls smacking Sanji's ass noisily. Sanji tried to push back, to get more sensation but Law held his hips down. The tough movement and the trapped feel of Sanji's own dick rubbing against the futon was too much. He came noisily, reddening from his chest up. Trying to silence his own groan and express his satisfaction at the same time.

The feeling of Sanji's ass clenching and trembling with his orgasm almost had Law locking into place. He pulled out just in time, the knot in his dick hard and expanding. All it took was clenching tightly at the base to stop, and Law panted noisily in his effort to stave the action. Once he was sure his own body wouldn't betray him, he flattened himself over Sanji's back, nestling his throbbing dick between Sanji's wet ass cheeks. The smell of the man, the feel of him all over him - it drove Law nearly mindless. He captured Sanji's jaw and forced his head back, to chomp carefully on his ear. Once Sanji made a sound of protest, shuddering, Law entered him again. Still clutching his jaw and keeping his face up, Law pounded into him frantically while Sanji made choked noises at the awkward position.

Law stopped himself from cumming as Sanji's voice grew higher and his veins began to bulge with his own restraint. He forced Sanji onto his back and pushed in before Sanji could adjust. The position allowed Law to bury his face up against Sanji's hairline, his mouth pressed against his temple. He came hard at the sharp scent of Sanji's sweat and distress, teeth scraping against his skin. He could feel Sanji tugging at himself, his hand moving frantically over his own dick.

Law yanked his hand away, still hard deep inside of him. Sanji's insides were thickly wet and swollen, supple to Law's dick. It was a sensation Law couldn't find anywhere else. His omega was made for him. Moving slowly, Law breathed in Sanji's thick breath, watching his expression with each movement. Sanji watched him with submission and trust, saying everything without words. He was absolutely Law's and there was no doubt about it.

" _Mine_ ," Law growled softly against his mouth, insisted upon the declaration. Giving him a clumsy kiss before taking over Sanji's mouth as well. "Mine, mine, mine...!"

Sanji couldn't answer, helpless against the ravaging. His was mind so far gone in his pleasure and submission that he couldn't even argue against the treatment. He accepted all of Law, tasting his invasive tongue and saliva, taking his hard, rough moving dick into his insides. He couldn't breathe and couldn't move - he wasn't even sure of the sounds he was making. He allowed Law to dominate him, unconsciously understanding that his own body wasn't his to use right now. It was Law's, and it was up to the alpha what he wanted to do with it.

He could feel Law cumming into him, and he ached for more, belly pushing up against Law to seek _more_. His hands finally came up, clutching at the other man desperately. Law nestled into him, his own hands clutching at sweaty, messy hair. He breathed Sanji in harshly, heart thudding noisily against his chest. He was still so hard, still aching. But Sanji was still receptive. He pushed up into him, nudging at his swollen insides. Sanji encouraged him to move, panting noisily at his neck. His mouth moved with gentle bites and kisses, smearing his saliva over Law's skin. His hands clutched and gripped at Law's back side to get him moving again. Law could feel both of their combined fluids sloshing around his dick, escaping with his own adjustment. The smell alone caused his senses to think he hadn't done enough - he wasn't done. _His omega needed to be bre_ _d_.

: :

Very early the next morning, Sanji jerked his head up with a start. His heart was thundering furiously against his chest, his skin already coated with a light sweat. His breath was coming in short puffs, his hands already reaching out with agitation. Law lifted his head then sat up with complete awareness to him that immediately permeated the entire room. Neither of them were thinking complete thoughts – not even formulating coherent meaning. It was their own instinct flaring to life, like a sputtering flame in the darkness.

He reached over to cup Sanji's face with a hard press, checking him physically for anything life threatening before Sanji whispered, "They're here already."

"Not yet," Law determined, thoughts immediately sputtering to complete sentences and formations. He tossed aside the sheet separating them as Sanji struggled to quell his rising agitation. His instinct was in complete shambles, making it difficult to formulate anything other than rising panic.

Just as it had when he was a kid, when he'd sensed Kid and the other bounty hunters making their way to the library. He gripped his head with one shaking hand, unable to understand what put him into this state of dread when he was already such a confident and secure man. He saw Law hastily yanking on his clothes, balancing from one foot to the other. He sensed a different sort of pheromone starting to emanate from him, something that was troubling and familiar at the same time – Sanji knew it was that state riling up his alpha into action. He froze in mid-prop, all at once treated to past images of trouble; when Law had to go into action to protect him. For a moment, Sanji's mind could not grasp coherency to focus on his own plan of attack, and he cursed his state of mind with a helpless sound.

In the flash of the early morning sunlight, Sanji could see that he'd left traces of telltale red patches on the other man. It wasn't as bad as it was the first time, it wasn't rashes, but it was noticeably visible. He focused on that as a way to calm his own frantic instincts, able to feel out his own body for his own troubled areas. All he was truly sensing were hot, irritated areas and places that were sore from overuse. He didn't have any time to appreciate what happened.

Once dressed, Law looked at him with warning. In the state that he was in, Sanji froze because his instincts were suddenly at alert because of his alpha's command. It was a helpless action – something he couldn't even fight.

"Don't shower," Law told him firmly, slipping into his boots and snatching his jacket from the hanger nearby. Sanji furrowed his brow with confusion, wondering why he couldn't and why the command was so…obtuse. But Law was out the door, snapping out orders to the other men. In the rush, Sanji pushed his hair from his face with insulted gesture. But he lifted an arm to smell himself. He couldn't really smell anything.

It took less than ten minutes when the apartment fell silent. Able to move, feeling out the sensation of instinctive fear and need to retreat, Sanji searched for his clothes. He took a thorough shower anyway because he was not going to run about in the state he was left in – but he did slither into Law's clothes; some jeans he had to roll up, a long sleeve sweater that could hide the red patches on his arms. None of it were rashes – just irritated. His lips were swollen and the inside of his mouth was agitated, but the mirror assured him he just looked like he'd spent the night kissing his mate. It was actually nice. His face and neck were irritated only because of Law's facial hair, and not saliva-induced irritation.

It took a few moments to appreciate that his body wasn't rejecting his mate again – though under duress, slightly itchy and irritated, it seemed to accept that his mate's body was just like his own.

He couldn't help but smile at himself for a brief moment. Then he hastily combed his hair into a ponytail, and gave up because he couldn't find his tie anywhere. Cursing, he slipped into his shoes, mind clearing of all of the fog that made him so panicked earlier.

He lit up a cigarette the moment he was outside. Attuning himself to the feeling of Luffy, he turned in various directions. They weren't coming in towards the normal harbor – they were coming from the south east. The peculiar course from the mainland suggested immediately that they knew they were to sneak in or…they had gotten lost at sea.

Sanji counted on the latter. He hurried off in that direction, the city still asleep. He knew of Law's plans to intercept the ship, but he never got the details how. As far as he knew, Law didn't know how to swim, either. And he hadn't prepared a ship – unless Penguin had somehow stolen one from the docks. Maybe a small, short range fishing boat.

Gritting his teeth, Sanji hurried off the main road and made his way through the trees.

He hadn't anticipated Luffy and the others arriving that quickly – he'd thought he'd feel them days from their arrival. Were his instincts so focused on his mate that he was that dead to anything else? It was frustrating! He felt so discombobulated. He finally reached the shore line, the beach lapping up at the sand with visible strength. Sea gulls cried in the distance while pelicans settled atop of the water, lazily snagging at available fish. It was such a calm sea – the waves rushed in with its usual strength, the horizon full of hazy storm clouds and a distant line. Squinting, Sanji shielded his eyes and scanned that grey top of water surface, searching for something out of place.

Sure enough, the moving speck in the distance, just inside of the wall, was moving steadily their way. It looked odd – it looked like it was spewing a cloud of smoke behind it. Sanji instantly thought of how ingenious Franky was with his inventions, and grit his teeth around his cigarette.

 _That's_ how they arrived so fast.

Seagulls cried in the distance, but Sanji could _swear_ he could hear someone yelling his name. He shivered in response, hugging himself. Instead of the friendly, light hearted feeling he usually felt whenever Luffy yelled his name, he only felt intense anxiety. It was _insane_ to think that his treasured friend could inspire so much dread in him. He glanced about, unable to see anything else on the water.

How was Law going to intercept them?

He swore his skeleton tried to climb its way out of his skin when he heard nearby, "So, it's today…"

He whipped his head around to see Mihawk standing there – did the man ever deviate from his fancy, silk clothing and floppy hat? Couldn't he wear something more…alpha related? He looked like someone that had spilled their way out of a wine mixer, but with a grand black sword on his back. Mihawk yawned noisily amidst the tense silence, then pierced Sanji with a somewhat watery gaze.

"All I have to do is make sure their mess doesn't spill or bother the occupants on the island," he said gravely, with no need to lower or heighten his voice amidst the stillness of the beach. So it sounded absurdly loud. "That's easy to do. Intervening is something I don't have to do, either."

"Does Shanks know about this?"

"Probably. But if he gets in my way and tries to negotiate a stand down, I'll just kill him," Mihawk commented calmly. His face then turned grim. "That's my child, out there, and I haven't seen him in months."

Sanji rolled his eyes in disgust.

"I'm excited to see what he's learned, so far," Mihawk continued, facial expression unchanging but his voice noticeably lightening. "Surely it's enough to amuse me with. Always going on and on about how he'll be stronger than me when he gets back – I'm so proud of him, sometimes. When you have a child of your own, Sanji, you'll understand."

"Zoro isn't, _and wasn't ever_ , your _child_ ," Sanji stressed with exasperation. "Since you bribed him with drinking parties and challenged his ego, _of course_ he's going to look up to you."

"It's the only way to awaken the inner man," Mihawk stated. "Challenging their securities. Making themselves stronger. Omegas would never understand. All they want to do is talk it out and share their emotions like it matters. What's needed here is action and might, strength and assertion."

Tired of this machismo already, Sanji hoped he'd shut up, soon.

"This fight isn't about you," Mihawk then added. "It's for the others to lay to rest their own differences and for Trafalgar to remind them that once upon a time, they'd looked up to him and trusted him. It's about showing strength and dominance. Only _men_ can understand this."

"I don't know how Shanks puts up with you," Sanji retorted.

"Sub genders were formed to give life when others traditionally couldn't due to the state of ruin in human beings. But pairs…bring balance."

It was really the only clever and agreeable thing that the alpha had said so far. But Sanji refused to give Mihawk his approval. He looked out over the sea once more, noticing that the speck in the distance was growing closer. Not close enough to see details, but just enough to show them that the ship was running on some type of energy blast that allowed them to take the ocean's surface at top speed.

Mihawk snorted, sitting down in the sand and yawning once again. "Leave it to Franky to assist Luffy home in a hurry."

Sanji shivered again, feeling unfocused. But he watched the horizon with trepidation, unsure of what to expect; he only that he needed to see what his mate planned on doing before he could step in. That's where his plan came in.

Mihawk looked up at him with a frown. "Can't you walk on water?"

Sanji snorted. "Air. Yes, it'd be easy to intercept and interrupt a stupid mauling. But…I choose not to."

"Why? Isn't it in your nature to prevent this sort of thing? Your mate will be outnumbered."

"Because a _man_ made his choice, and I can only support him. Isn't that what it means to be a good mate?"

"No. Just a smart man yourself. You have some potential, then. It's good that you are agreeable to a man's needs."

"Oh, _shut up_ …"

: :

Excitement raced through them as the island of their dreams became visible. The ship was in near poor shape, and it shook dangerously as Franky kept it on course. All of them were filled with relief as they left behind their adventurous past, intending on relieving their tensions with good food and cheer, and leaving their worries for next time. There would be a next time – this island that had given them a good home would always be their home in some shape and form. Now, it would be a good home for those that they'd pulled from the rubble of the mainland's harsh environment.

The kids standing with them were malnourished and traumatized, wearing their past on their stony faces. They were taken from slave camps, from wandering the roads alone, from terrible people that used them for whatever intentions only the kids knew about. Six of them in all, and Luffy was excited to share with them this island. The group of children shied away with obviously traumatized reaction from the young men, but in the days of their travel, they were slowly starting to warm up to them. So when the men shouted out with relief and cheer upon seeing the grand standing mountains and green forest, the group of children looked around themselves fretfully, seeking comfort from each other.

Zoro watched them fondly, patting the head of an older boy. "Relax!" he said cheerfully. "The trip is almost over!"

"ALL THE FOOD YOU CAN EAT!" Luffy cried merrily, dancing in place. Eyes lighting up, he fell to his knees in front of them, ignoring the way the kids shied up against each other despite his obvious over-friendliness. "And best of all, you're going to meet the _beautiful_ princess! The one I've been telling you about!"

Sabo laughed, holding his hat in place. "Luffy, you know Sanji hates it when you call him a princess!"

"But he _is_!" Luffy insisted, glaring back at him. To the kids he added, "A beautiful, charming princess with long hair, a stupid laugh and he bursts into flames at the flick of a finger! He can cook _anything_!"

"Even his own fingers," Ace muttered, adjusting his own hat with terse action.

"He didn't eat those, the doc fixed him right up!" Ussop protested, frowning at him. He fought against the hooded cape that kept flapping into his face. "Don't tell the kids that story! It wasn't his fault!"

"He's a _scary_ princess," Ace added to the story with a menacing expression, the kids looking at him fearfully. "He's not even a princess at all. He's just a dork of a man that Luffy likes because he's a pervert."

" _I am not_!" Luffy protested. He looked at Ace with dismay. "Stop calling me that!"

"Well, you are," Ace insisted gruffly, rolling his eyes. His shoulder length hair fluttered at his face and shoulders, hooded cape flapping around him. His opened shirt displayed more muscle and scars from the battles he fought. He wasn't that kid, anymore. He was a man with a mission in life and it was because of the kids that were huddled against each other. The things he'd seen back on mainland were going to follow after him long after he closed his eyes, but he was grateful for the presence of his brothers and friends around him.

"Don't get it all twisted up, Ace!" Franky called out from the motor room, ducking underneath the doorway to chat. He braced himself against the frame, causing a few kids to hide their faces behind their hands. " _I'm_ the only pervert here! I'm older, I call dibs on the title."

"That's nothing to be proud about!" Ace exclaimed, looking back at him with revulsion.

"Franky is the top pervert on this tub," Sabo had to say, shaking his head. "He's the only one here that runs into battle in his freaking underwear…"

"It's not underwear! It's called a Speedo! And I kinda have to, look at these legs! Why should I hide my beauty?"

Amidst their argument, Zoro noticed Luffy's face stiffening up. At once, all that cheer and excitement slowly dropped away as he turned away from his friends and faced the front of the ship, black hair whipping about his face. In all these years, Zoro trusted that kid's instincts. While Luffy was an idiot, always fighting with his brothers and picking a fight with someone he shouldn't, he had instincts that were always spot on.

"What's up, Luffy?" he asked lightly, not wanting to draw the negative attention to the kids, who were listening to the others' stories of the island's prosperities.

After a few moments, Luffy replied, "I don't feel Sanji."

"Isn't that the whole reason we came back?" Zoro asked with an exasperated look. "That moron wasn't going anywhere with the way he blew up all the time."

"He never responded to my letters. I spent so much of my heart and soul on those things, and he never wrote back, but I knew he got them because I could feel it in my heart," Luffy returned with a pensive frown. "He was always here. He was waiting. I knew he'd wait until we came back. But…I don't feel him anymore…"

"That alpha – omega thing, right? Well, maybe you wouldn't because he's not yours – "

Luffy focused on the island, jaw twitching. Zoro trailed off because it was apparent Luffy wasn't listening to him anymore.

"I _feel_ him," Luffy then murmured, reaching up to hold his hat against his head as he ventured up to the stern. "I feel him, he's on the island…but it's…quiet."

'Quiet'? Zoro wondered with a frown. Subdued, maybe?

"I don't know, Luffy. Maybe he senses you're coming and went into hiding, again. You did freak him out," he said uncomfortably.

"I wasn't trying to scare him," Luffy then said fretfully, looking back at him with agitation. "But I was just so excited with him around! I wanted to suck him into my body and carry him around in a little pouch and smell him every little while licking his face and swallowing him up and - !"

"Yeah, that's _not_ disturbing…"

"I just want to eat his food and stare at him all day," Luffy added dreamily, elbows on the railing. "And listen to him talk and smell his smoke and squeeze him until he can't breathe and wrap him up in my blankets and never let anyone look or talk at him again…that's all I wanted…"

"Anyone would want to run away from that."

Luffy straightened up with a hard expression, going rigid. Against the wind, he inhaled hard, Zoro watching his nostrils expand with the action. Hitting the railing with frustration, he murmured, " _I can't smell him_. Usually, I can remember his smell, and I can't smell him! Why can't I?"

"We are, _literally_ , miles away from a big ass island, that's why…"

"Even when we were in the snowy mountains of the mainland, I could smell him," Luffy said, tone dropping dangerously. "I could smell him in my sleep. I could smell him when we got onto this tub. But I can't smell him now."

"Because normal people can't," Ace said, walking up to his side and leaning against the railing with one elbow. "That's a normal people thing."

"Smoke and ass, that was Sanji's smell," Luffy mumbled, inhaling deeply once more. "And I can't smell either!"

"… _Weirdo_ ," Ace said, looking to Sabo with embarrassment. "I don't remember going through this when I turned into a man."

"Because you haven't," Sabo told him patiently. "We didn't go out there to lose virginities or conquer kingdoms."

"Why are we talking about that again?" Zoro mumbled with his own embarrassment. "Why can't we talk normal subjects without having to constantly delve into women and - ?"

"Because that's what normal men do, Zoro!" Ace snapped at him, hitting the railing while Luffy focused on his task. "We think about women, think about their naked bodies and dream about Nami while we're away!"

"I can assure you, Nami isn't thinking about us," Sabo said with a tired sigh.

"She's a beautiful woman now, I can feel it," Ace said dreamily, propping his chin upon his palms. "I can't wait for her to come running for me. Then we'll both come together in the moonlight, and I'll be a real man."

Sabo looked at Zoro with mortification, both of them shaking their heads.

"Didn't you say that about those other women?" Ussop asked Ace skeptically. "That's, like, the twentieth time you spoke about your women."

"I can dream! I'm a man, I can dream about these things! Women dream about perfect men and makeup, while I dream about losing my virginity!"

"This boat went from happy to sad real quick," Franky whispered, shaking his head.

Luffy growled, climbing onto the railing, much to the alarm of the others. Ace grabbed him and yanked him back. "What are you doing, stupid?"

"I can't smell him, I can't sense him!" Luffy snapped, rising to his feet and fixing his cape. "He's here, but I can't feel any of those things! Maybe he cut his hair, again…"

"I hope so. That thing was a nest of madness…"

"His beauty won't diminish!" Luffy declared. "Even if he cut his hair, I'll still eat him up! I want to gnaw on his femur. I want to taste the wax of his ear. Suck on all his dirty toes. I want _all_ that stuff and yet – I can't smell or sense him so now I'm getting pissed. I'm getting real pissed, Ace, so you don't want to mess with me - !"

His words were muffled as Ace shoved him under his arm, rubbing his underarm hairs and sweat over his face. Luffy screamed while the others looked at the scene with revulsion; the kids drew back with horrified expressions, but their attitudes matched the other men watching.

"This is the only way to calm you down," Ace laughed, pushing him away while Luffy heaved, face green.

"Thanks, brother," Luffy wheezed, cheeks puffing up with held in vomit. "Thanks, that really…that really helped."

"It's like ammonia for vapors," Sabo muttered thoughtfully. "We need to think about changing your diet, Ace."

"…Suck on his toes…?" Zoro repeated on a disgusted whisper, left eye twitching.

"I can't _wait_ to eat!" Luffy then cried, focused on the topic. But as the island drew nearer, his senses were ringing once again. He gripped the railing with both hands, crushing the wood. "I can't sense him!"

Zoro and Sabo looked at each other with uncertain expressions while Ace frowned. Ussop looked at the others uneasily.

"I wanted to tell him Law was dead, but…but I can't sense him. Why can't I…? Where is he, Ace?" Luffy asked, head twitching ever so slightly before refocusing on the island. "He's there, I know he's there but I can't sense him. Is he hiding from me? Was it that bad of a mistake?"

"Luffy, I think you should calm down, now," Sabo advised, joining his brothers. "Maybe Chopper was successful with finding a proper suppressant for him – "

" _No_ , it's…I feel like he's still here but he's not…as loud as he was," Luffy trailed off, confused. His breath began to quick as waves crashed around them noisily and the minute details of the island began to pop out at them. The mountains, the color of the shoreline, the sight of whales exhaling noisily in the distance. He could not remember Sanji's smell. He couldn't even pinpoint the omega like he used to – his senses were confused and unsettled, almost whipping him up into a panic that he hadn't felt, before.

Sabo frowned, looking at the island. "We were never able to find Law, but maybe…just maybe…he found Sanji while we were away."

" _No_ …!"

"It's possible, Luffy," Ace said with a concerned frown at his little brother. It looked like Luffy was slowly unraveling in front of him, and it was startling to see.

" _NO_! No, Law was supposed to be dead! He was supposed to be dead because that entire place was ashes, and nobody – he was supposed to! He never liked Sanji, anyway, he was always trying to get rid of him!" Luffy cried, his face twitching as his voice changed with desperation and horror, his friends looking at him with drawing concern. "No, no, no! I've waited all this time to come back, so he has to still be here, by himself! I have to claim him, now, he's all mine, I've been waiting for him!"

"This…is really disturbing," Sabo whispered to Ace, who was wearing a shocked look.

"Is this an alpha thing?" Ace asked, confused. "Law never went crazy, did he?"

"Stop talking about him!" Luffy snarled at them both, his eyes widening with rising aggression as his facial expression changed heavily. "Stop talking about that guy!"

"You need to calm down, man, I'm serious. This is getting really _really_ weird…"

"An unclaimed omega means nobody wants them, right? He was unclaimed because Law didn't want him, and _I_ want him, I've _always_ wanted him, so he's _my_ omega now, and I can't sense him!" Luffy cried, breaking the railing again with a hit of his fist. He clambered onto the railing, causing Sabo and Ace to grab at him with alarm. "SANJI! _SANJI_ , I'M _HERE_! WHERE ARE YOU?"

"He can't hear you from this distance, you moron," Zoro snapped at him impatiently, rising to stand in front of the kids as he realized from the expressions on Sabo's and Ace's faces that this wasn't a normal tantrum.

" _Nobody_ can have him, Ace," Luffy continued, talking madly as he looked at his brothers. " _Nobody_ can have him but me!"

"That's not up to you, buddy," Ace returned with worry, holding tightly on his brother's cape. "He was bonded in the first place, so he never belonged to you."

"That's not up to you to say. It isn't up to anybody but me to say that. It isn't even up to him!"

"Luffy, _settle down_!" Sabo snapped at him, tightening his grip once Luffy snarled at them both, looking back at the island with wide-eyed determination. Glancing back at the others, Sabo saw that none of them knew what to do. All of them were clueless on how to handle this reaction. The kids were frightened, watching the teen with pale expressions, huddling tightly together.

"I _need_ him, Sabo. Like I need food. Like I need to breathe. I can't breathe if I can't have him."

"Luffy," Ace said firmly, capturing his little brother's attention. But Luffy's eyes kept shifting to the side, focused on the island. "Luffy. _Calm down_. Let's not do this freaking out thing. It's not helping anybody. You come at him like this, of course anybody is going to be terrified."

"But I want him. I want him _I want him_ I want him. I already decided he's _mine_."

Ace looked at Sabo for direction, but Sabo didn't know what to say.

"But you know he's there, right?" Sabo asked with uncertainty. "He's here, he's still here but – "

"He's _here_ , but I can't sense him like I used to!" Luffy replied with panic. His hands were shaking slightly as he reached up to grip his own hair, knuckles whitening. Sabo thought, for a horrified moment, he was going to rip his own hair out with his agitation. "Even when Chopper had him dosed up, I could always smell him and sense him but I can't even do that so I know he's here but he's not all the way here and that – that isn't good."

Ace then looked alarmed. "Then _he's_ here, too, Luffy. That's what it must mean."

"We don't know for sure if Law is here, Ace," Sabo said firmly. "Everyone we talked to – when Doflamingo fell, no one knew where Law went."

"Of course he'd come out here to find Sanji, that's…like, that kid was his responsibility," Ace murmured with discomfort. "Once he knew he was free, I can see him making his way here to be with him."

"No!" Luffy shouted fiercely, pushing at him. "No! _No_! NO!"

"Luffy, _please_ \- !"

"No, _you don't understand_ ," Luffy cried looking at them with startling vulnerability, "you don't understand…! I can't…I _can't_ think anything else! I can't think of him being taken away…! My life is his, I can't…I can't do this – I can't let Law do this! He was never a good alpha!"

" _Stop_ now," Sabo commanded of him firmly, Ace looking utterly bewildered as he witnessed a part of Luffy he wasn't used to. "This is nonsense, Luffy. All of us started to understand what it meant to be an alpha and omega once we got here, and it is to be understood that _neither_ of them have the choice to choose outside of their bond. So if Law is here, he is rightfully at Sanji's side. I hate to speak of him as an object, but Sanji belongs to no one else but him."

"NO! _No_ , I won't accept that. _I won't allow it_. Law was always mean to him, to _us_ – he won't be allowed to be that way with Sanji, now. I wanted to take over, it's my right to take over, I can only be what Sanji needs me to be – "

"Sanji doesn't want you, dude," Ace said dully, dropping his hands to his side as he continued to stare at Luffy like he'd just grown an extra head.

" _NOOOO_!" Breathing heavily, red from the neck up, Luffy diverted his attention to the island. It was apparent to him that neither of his brothers understood this instinct of his. He _wanted_ Sanji, his blood flowed only for the unclaimed omega. It didn't make sense that Law returned to him when all the older man ever wanted was space from Sanji. It didn't make sense and it frustrated Luffy that the only condition to change this was removing Law from existence. But his entire body sung in protest of this matter – all he could think about was needing that omega to be his. Luffy could only breathe his air, could touch his skin, could eat his food – it absolutely didn't matter if Sanji didn't want him because of his bond. Luffy was intent on freeing him from it.

He didn't know anything else but that – their adventures on the mainland had given them a reminder that these pairings were rare. There were alphas running about unbonded, but as for omegas …Luffy hadn't even sensed one outside of the island, and even when he'd come into awareness of his alpha status, the other omegas on the island weren't in any comparison to Sanji.

He balled his fingers into tight fists as he breathed, rage filling him at the denial of his wants. He felt uncontrollable and volatile, and these were new emotions for him. He hadn't felt so angry in his life. He hadn't felt so desperate, either. He couldn't even see Law as a human being – he saw him as a threat to _his_ omega.

He'd already made his choice, and his choice was Sanji. He drew his arm back to extend it and Sabo and Ace jumped on him with panic in their features.

"Don't try to stop me!" Luffy snarled at them, struggling to get his arm loosened from their weight and grip. Despite their intention, that arm continued to stretch, Zoro ducking low to avoid being accidentally hit. He then ushered the kids towards Franky, who looked confused as he realized something bigger was happening. "I'm going to get there first!"

"You can't stretch that far!" Ace cried with exasperation. "Stop freaking out!"

"Luffy, this is _madness_!" Sabo shouted with panic, trying to pull in Luffy's arm and ending up with more material than he anticipated. Luffy's arm kept stretching despite their efforts.

"You're going to weigh me down, and I'm going to be mad if I hit the ocean instead of land!" Luffy threatened them, rising despite their weight. His strength was more than they could manage – he was basically superhuman amongst them.

"I don't get it!" Ussop looked to Zoro for answers, his eyes wide. "What's happening?"

"I think Law is on the island," Zoro answered apprehensively.

Ussop barely had any memories of this guy – all he remembered was an older boy with vague abilities that allowed him to break out of a magic-blocked cage. The group had spoken of Law with memories that recounted frustration and male aggression, but Ussop had thought Law had done something great to allow them freedom to escape the mainland's horrifying hostility. So to see Luffy react so unnaturally at the mention of his name caused Ussop great concern.

"How does he know that?" he asked, rattled by the fight happening in front of him.

"I guess he can't sense Sanji, anymore."

"But he's there, right?"

"Yeah, I guess. It has to be an alpha thing, I don't know…but he's freaking out about it."

"If that guy was strong enough to fight against magic-blockers, that would mean, if he survived now, he is stronger than that," Ussop reasoned with fright. "If Luffy comes at him, of course that guy is going to win."

"I think the point is Sanji moved on."

"Well," Ussop said with a confused frown, "isn't that the point? Weren't they married in the first place?"

"I don't know the details, I don't care! That stuff is…too much for me," Zoro grumbled. "Yeah, they were married at a young age but I don't get the other details. I don't care!"

" _Gah_! Don't _yell_ at me! I'm just trying to _understand_!"

" _I'm not yelling_!"

Suddenly, Zoro perked up. He looked over at the island as Franky patiently ushered the frightened kids into the cabin with him, the brothers' shouts drowning out the sound of the engine he'd created. Franky noticed that Zoro was staring off to the south end of the island, his attention riveted.

" _Now_ what?" he asked with exasperation.

"Mihawk is aware that we're approaching," Zoro replied vaguely. "I can…feel him sensing us."

"That's a good thing, right? Hopefully he has some booze…"

"It's not that. He's…prepared…"

Ussop and Franky exchanged weary looks with each other.

"We don't speak _swordsmen_ , ass," Franky complained, causing Zoro to jerk around with impatience. "So elaborate a little!"

"It means he's prepared for a type of battle! Maybe as an alpha himself he senses Luffy as a threat because Luffy is unbonded," Zoro answered. "Maybe he senses that asshole's aggression – but he's prepared for it."

"It's weird to think of Luffy like a threat," Ussop mumbled to himself, looking over at the teen with worry. "So maybe that's why Sanji is…hiding…? Is that the correct word?"

"I don't know, I don't think so," Zoro replied pensively, staring in that direction once more. "I feel like he's ready to act."

"But to what?" Franky and Ussop asked with irritation.

"I said _I don't know_!" Zoro snapped back at them impatiently. "I don't know details, I just know warnings!"

He then stiffened, hand on Wado. "Warning…he's _warning_ me. He's…this isn't about Luffy."

Before he could say anything else, the shouting stopped. All attention was suddenly diverted to the sight of a short range fishing boat coming into view. The silence caused Ussop's hairs to stand straight up on his arms as his fear meter began to activate. Luffy's outstretched arm stopped tensing, dropping to the boat's deck with a lengthy coil. Sabo and Ace caught their breath, barely rigid against Luffy's still stance. Luffy looked immediately to the boat, frozen solid as all his senses rang out with rising apprehension and acknowledgement.

The boat was considerably small, not meant for large loads. It was still a strong distance away from them, allowing them only minimal details. The fact that it was out there caused some distrust, because it felt like a random diversion. The sudden silence between all of them was rattling.

From the cabin, Penguin emerged. Once he sighted the group, he managed a helpless shrug.

"Oh," Ussop whispered, because speaking louder than that seemed inappropriate. "It's _him_! He's back!"

"It's been awhile since I saw that guy," Franky whispered back, looking cheered.

Sabo looked horrified. "Oh, _bloody hell_."

"Yeah, I got that," Ace murmured stiffly. He looked to Luffy to judge his reaction, and Luffy only looked puzzled, squinting as he shielded his eyes against the sun.

" _Who_ is that?" he asked, bewildered. "I feel like I know that guy…"


	20. Chapter 20

**: : Twenty**

* * *

Luffy finally lowered his hand from his eyes, mind ringing with an intense static. All he could think about was Sanji, and this interruption was only getting in his way. His body absolutely craved coming into contact with the other man, to smell him, hear him and feel him. His eyes were even experiencing the madness – he needed to see him badly now that he couldn't sense Sanji very well. It was very unlike something Luffy had felt before, but as far as he was concerned, his instincts were very reliable. He looked back at the island, reaching out to clutch the broken railing as he once again determined the distance. The others' attention were focused on the fishing boat that chugged quietly over the ocean waves.

Sabo furrowed his brow, then cupped his hands around his mouth. "We have _children_ with us! There are innocent _children_ on this boat - !"

"I brought them back so Sanji could have them!" Luffy shouted, causing Sabo to trail off with dismay.

"Uh, no we didn't," Ace muttered, looking at Luffy with a puzzled expression. The children were renewing their looks of terror, trembling in place at the mention. Ussop hurriedly tended to assure them they were not repeating their time as slaves, and that Luffy was just insane. "We brought them back because they needed safety – "

Luffy punched outward without warning, launching himself into the air. A mere moment later the boat began to slowly collapse against the water with tremendous cracking and snapping sounds that rang out over the water. Screams erupted from everyone onboard as Luffy arched through the air, heading straight for the point that agitated him the most. As far as he was concerned right now, the others didn't matter. What mattered was this infuriating alpha with his long, straight blade exposed while he used his free hand to slowly pull their boat apart.

Law only smiled grimly as the boat they were using slowly collapsed into pieces, coming apart at the seams. Both to leave him something to work with and to already agitate their panicked states. Ace, Sabo and Zoro were shouting aloud as they were forced off the deck due to gravity. His mind buzzed sharply with the appearance of another alpha threatening his omega, making it difficult to think freely. He blinked rapidly to clear the red coloring from his vision, knowing it was only rancorous madness in retaliation to a threat. Luffy was still in mid-air, careening through it like he was given flight abilities himself. His eyes were wide and beaded with the same sort of expression, Law noticed. He planned to use Luffy's untrained anger against himself, feeling he was the superior alpha here.

Stepping back, Law lifted his hand, capturing Luffy in mid-motion. He noticed he'd stopped the alpha's body, but his limbs stretched out in momentum. Luffy snarled savagely as he realized he couldn't move, but he continued to extend his fist with the momentum downward towards the fishing boat.

"Penguin, pick up the children and take them back towards shore," Law told the worried man next to him. "The others are to stay behind."

"You sure this is a good idea?" Penguin asked skeptically. "If I do that, I can't come back in time."

"It'll be fine. If they're true men, they'll find a way to survive without our assistance," Law assured him as Luffy's fist neared them with the striking force of an incoming bullet. Penguin gave him an impatient look. Law then deflected Luffy's fist off its trajectory course, and hopped off the boat onto the sure, steady surface of a portable platform the fishermen used to anchor their ships to.

Still with an unsure expression, Penguin nodded. He unhooked the platform from the boat, and then coaxed the vehicle away from Law. Over the surface of the water, they could hear the frantic, scared screams of the children that Franky and Ussop were trying to save. Law didn't give them a second look.

He tossed Luffy a distance away from anything that could give him footing, watching the teen flail in mid-air before extending an arm outward and catching hold of his stolen ship's mast. Looking to the right, Law saw the others floundering in the water. Ace _still_ couldn't swim very well, but Zoro and Sabo were pulling him to the remains of the other half of the ship.

"As soon as I get out of this water," Ace shouted, almost gulping down the sea water that splashed up against him with Zoro's and Sabo's efforts, " _I'm going to kick your ass_! I can't wait to do it – it's been years! Gonna settle this man to man!"

"What a rotten tactic, Law," Sabo snapped, losing his grip on his brother. Ace sank, causing Zoro to dive in after him as Sabo kept himself above the surface to glare in Law's direction. "Choosing your battle where none of us can fight you fairly!"

"I don't ever recall giving any of you a chance to 'fight back fairly'," Law retorted with vague amusement. "Why should I give you that opportunity, now?"

"We went out to find you!"

"And kill me, yes, I heard."

"It wasn't to _kill_ you," Sabo cried with exasperation, hitting the surface with a clenched fist as Zoro and Ace popped back up with loud inhales of air.

"Luffy is an alpha, now. I find that unacceptable," Law replied.

"Why don't you drop your powers and fight us hand to hand?" Ace shouted, wheezing and coughing in between words. "You wanna be a man? Act like one! Hiding behind your damn powers because you know you ain't man enough for the rest of us!"

"How are you talking so much shit while drowning at the same time?" Zoro snapped impatiently at him, struggling to pull Ace along while looking for suitable debris for them to cling to.

"But…I'm outnumbered," Law answered Ace, wearing a mocking expression of concern. "I'm terrified for my life, here. It is the only way I can protect myself."

"Dumb ass! You're just mocking us!" Ace cried.

Law glanced over to seeing Luffy launch himself once more in his direction. This time he had a part of the ship with him, flinging debris in his direction. Calmly, Law concentrated on the bigger pieces and crushed them in mid-air while judging Luffy's trajectory. He lifted his sword and sliced through air, careful of where he stepped. The platform wasn't that big – maybe twelve by ten feet, stained with water and fish innards. Floating easily with the use of large, red rubber buoys underneath. There was room to allow sea fishing rods to stand and a covered hole that allowed the fishermen to enter the water with to attend to the buoys.

The force he created with the use of his sword swept over the surface waters, ripping more debris to shreds and causing the three to hastily lunge away to avoid any impact. It also unsettled the very air Luffy was flying through, causing him to avert his direction with involuntary action. He reached out, stretching his hand to the mast once more and returned with a snap back in that area.

He howled with frustration as Law determined the expressions of the others. "Stop pushing me away, Law! I wanna kick your damn ass! You let me in! I will find a way to break in, goddamn it, just you wait!"

Penguin was pulling the frightened kids onto the boat, Ussop trying to be one of them. Shachi was holding the pair of men off with guns in both hands, causing Franky to pull back on Ussop with a snarl of words. Once the fishing boat began pulling away, Law focused on that section of the collapsed boat. The temporary engine Franky used was dismantled, forced to collapse towards the sea floor to prevent any ideas against him.

Franky turned in reaction, then lifted an arm. His hand shifted and maneuvered, revealing a set of gun barrels. His appearance, and the fact that he was embedded with his own weaponry, caused Law momentary distraction. Firing off at the floating alpha, Franky was then used by Ussop as a shield.

Law held up a hand, stopping those bullets in mid-air – then pushing them back towards the pair that screamed and hastily jumped ship. Wood cracked and sputtered into the air and water as impact rang out.

" _LAW_!" Sabo cried impatiently, hauling himself atop of a flat piece of board. He was unsteady as he sought a position that would allow him to stand. Ace struggled to join him, but he ended up tilting both Sabo and the board over, causing them to shout at each other furiously as Zoro shook his head with embarrassment.

"This might be easier than I thought," Law muttered with disappointment. "Perhaps I should've chosen a different sort of arena."

He looked up sharply once he realized that there was movement in the air. He looked up to see a small, cylindrical object explode overhead. He noted with his eyes narrowed that Ussop was the one to fire it, his slingshot held mightily in shaky arms. Ussop's goggles were pulled over his eyes as Franky held him steady in the water, sinking slowly himself. Both of them disappeared underneath the surface, only to explode back up with shouts and frantic effort to find something to cling to.

The object that exploded overhead billowed outward with a strong smoke cloud that dripped with pelting weight of rain. Law looked down at the platform and at himself to see that this rain was reddish in color, and it _moved_. He realized it was actually insect eggs of some type, and those things were crawling frantically around and on him. He made a face but didn't react as Ussop had hoped. He pierced the marksman with a glower so fierce that Ussop shrieked in reaction.

"That guy is _impossible_ to beat!" Ussop screeched, seeing that his spider-egg smokescreen hadn't caused the alpha to react traditionally when pelted with the alarming ammunition. Ussop scraped at Franky's back with terror, Franky sputtering and flailing himself to keep his weight from pulling them under. " _Help me_! We're gonna _die_! I'm going to die! He's targeted me!"

" _I'm_ going to die because of _you_!" Franky howled before sinking underneath the waves.

The smokescreen covered Law moments later, and he positioned himself to swing his sword again. He was able to clear just enough to see Zoro moving over the water himself, three swords drawn. Just above him was another moving person, but the smoke hadn't cleared enough for Law to see exactly who it was. But a corner of his mouth tipped with a smug smile.

 _Just like I anticipated_ , he thought, mentally patting himself on the back.

He lifted the waves around him with telekinetic force and pushed water forward to distract Zoro, then used his sword to catch the swinging metal pipe that nearly caught him in the head. Law flicked his wrist to capture the pipe's corner head and lunged to the left with a mighty swing to throw Sabo away from him. Without any stabilizing surface underneath him, Sabo cursed out loud with frustration before hitting the water, clutching tightly onto his weapon. Law had enough time to bring his sword back and capture Zoro's swing with the length of his blade against his two.

"This is dirty play," Zoro snarled at him. He tried not to grimace at the sight of crawling insects on the other man, his black clothes pelted with splattered eggs.

"Your forehead has grown in size," Law observed calmly before drawing a knee up to make impact with his body.

He then kicked the man aside, but Zoro stabilized himself with a somewhat impressive toe catch at the edge of the platform and shot forward at him again. Law had to defend himself, using both hands on the handle and moving fast to avoid being stabbed or sliced. Zoro moved quick, forcing Law back. He realized what difficulty he was facing in his opponent and knew he had to remove himself from the scene immediately. He teleported away, Zoro looking around with confusion once a piece of driftwood settled in front of him. With the smoke clearing away, Zoro caught sight of movement off to his left. He cried aloud with surprise to see the wave moving over him before he could evade it, being swallowed up into the sea moments later.

Law steadied himself on the piece of wood Sabo had been balancing on earlier, scanning the debris for any sign of Luffy. Ace sputtered at him from nearby, clinging to a piece of railing that looked ladder sized – allowing enough maneuverability for any skilled person to walk atop of. He jumped atop of that, watching Ace struggle.

"I'm going to wreck you as soon as I get my hands on you!" Ace snarled at him, shaking the piece of railing with both arms then struggling to climb atop of it as Law balanced himself delicately on the rungs. "Hold still!"

"Here, let me help you," Law said, lifting him up from the water by his cape and then whipping him around behind him. It effectively allowed him to hit Luffy in mid-trajectory as the alpha lunged at him once more, the two careening off into the water with tremendous splashes. Steadying himself, Law looked over the water logged group with utter amazement. Sabo was racing against the sea to reach his drowning brothers – Zoro was a good distance away but determinedly making his way to a piece of debris to catch onto, and the other two weren't in sight.

Before Law could feel any concern in that disappearance, the railing underneath him exploded upward with a sizzling explosion of heat, sound and water. He immediately teleported towards the large piece of ship that straggled above the surface, the mast slowly tilting downward towards the water. That explosion nearly caused Law to drop his sword, and he gripped it with some relief as he saw both Franky and Ussop shooting out from the water – the sight was absurd because it appeared that Franky was using some type of explosive _fart_ to save them from drowning. He watched them arch high into the air with screams, and land once more in the water, sending debris over head while water splashed around them.

Soaking wet himself, Law glanced around the area for Luffy and spotted Sabo dragging both brothers to the platform Law had abandoned minutes ago. Law grinned lopsidedly, shoving the blade of his sword into the mast to allow him another method of clinging to it in order to stay above the water. He braced himself atop of the rim of the crow's nest.

"Is he just _fucking_ with us?" Ace sputtered, once he was able to pull himself onto the platform, Luffy wheezing nearby as Sabo struggled to catch his breath. 'He's just fucking with us, isn't he? Argh, that makes me so much madder than I was before!"

Sabo glanced grimly in the direction of the older man, seeing him survey his work with a look of glee. "Admit it, Ace. He chose the arena, and neither of us has touched him just yet. He has the upper hand. Eventually, he'll get bored and end this quick."

"When we were kids, he'd just leave us behind while we were planning our attack," Ace muttered bitterly. "We'd be sitting in that forest for hours, thinking he was looking for us when he'd be back at the library, napping or something!"

"Ugh, that drove me crazy! _Every_ time!"

"But we can't let that happen, now," Luffy snarled, rolling onto his hands and knees. "This time, it _really_ matters!"

"What _is_ his weakness?" Ace whispered, looking determined. The other two looked puzzled, taking in their surroundings with an obvious lack of knowledge.

"Dude is running around with Ussop's nasty bug bomb all over him. He never jumped at the sight of snakes nor did he react as we did to certain things that freak us out," Sabo muttered thoughtfully. "He was totally unscareable…"

"He has to be scared of _something_!"

"I know he hates water, but look at him! He's using it as his battleground!" Sabo couldn't help but look at the older man with admiration. Ace wouldn't admit it, but he was vaguely impressed as well. He wore a sneer, water soaked hair sticking to his freckled face.

"And he's not that string bean bitch that doesn't do anything manly or physical," Ace said bitterly, looking in Law's direction. "He's got some muscle to him. He can take some physical abuse and dish it out."

"It's his magic that allows him to do all this stuff!" Luffy snarled. "Somehow, we gotta do something about his magic!"

Sabo brightened up, lowering his voice. "His Room! The only way he can use his powers is if his Room were engaged! The fact that he can do all this stuff is because it's up, and that takes a considerable chunk of his concentration. If we can somehow manage to get in there and force him unfocused, we can pull him down to our level!"

"Then how do we do that?" Ace then brightened up himself, hitting the platform with a fist. He looked to Luffy. "How much have you eaten so far?"

Luffy managed to focus on that question, blinking with bewilderment. "Oh. Well, I ate – "

" _Everything_!" Sabo exclaimed angrily. "He ate everything we had on board! We're starving, Ace, what kind of question is that?"

"But was any of it gassy?"

Luffy's eyes widened with understanding. "Ace, there's no need to ask if I have gas in the tank. That's always there!"

"Then listen up, here's how we're gonna do it," Ace said with confidence, lowering his voice and cupping one side of his mouth. Afterward, Sabo looked bitter while Luffy looked delighted and then determined.

"We're _men_ , now," he muttered, "and yet oh so _young_."

Watching them from a distance, Law shook his head ever so slightly. "Those morons are planning something stupid, I bet," he muttered to himself. He saw Zoro in position once more, soaking wet and determined to attack again. Franky and Ussop were struggling to stay afloat on some debris nearby, shouting at each other. Ussop was stressed at helping his cyborg friend, who clearly had trouble staying afloat.

All that truly mattered was getting rid of Luffy, who was an active threat to him. Law focused on the teen, who was looking in his direction with a spiteful expression. He hadn't changed all that much – he was just a bigger version of the kid Law left behind. But it filled Law's blood with rage to know that Luffy planned on taking over his spot. He seethed with venom and determination, lifting his free hand while bracing against the mast. The crow's nest was nearly fully underwater. The water below was bubbling around him – but he still had time to use the rest of the length of mast as a platform to keep him atop of the water surface.

He punched Luffy clear out of the water, which caused the other two cries of alarm at the unexpected gesture. Luffy whirled around in mid-air and shot his hands forward to reach for the mast. Keeping his eyes focused on the alpha, Law closed his fist, his powers pulling at Luffy's outstretched hands to re-direct him towards the water. He watched with fascination as Luffy's body stretched and adjusted according to the direction – if Law wasn't careful, Luffy could easily turn around with the other half of his body to use as a weapon.

" _You coward_!" Luffy shouted at him furiously.

That momentary focus was enough for Zoro to move, swiping mightily through the air while Ussop drew back his slingshot once he saw his chance. Franky sank with a gurgle as Ussop quickly reloaded and shot again. Sensing these two attacks, Law drew Luffy down towards the water surface, putting full force into it. Luffy screamed in frustration as he found himself directed into the water. Law then felt the incoming force of wind and physical strength in Zoro's attack, the water whipping up against him before the crow's nest exploded underneath him and cracked the mast. Law held tight to his sword and teleported away from that, to take to the floating piece of overturned hull nearby. The surface was slick and he found himself slipping over exposed mussels and seaweed. Ussop's shots detonated around him, a surprising amount of explosives shattering the air and causing his equilibrium to fail as booming impact knocked him off course.

Ussop had _anticipated_ the change of direction – the kid could _see_ things, which caused Law a momentary stumble in his confidence.

He cursed as he had to turn and catch onto the hull with desperate fingers, the piece sinking with his weight and twisting with his motion. Driving his sword into the wood, he managed to catch himself from falling into the water. He turned around to attack again when he realized Luffy had managed to whip himself away from the water with a weird rolling air attack. He teleported away from impact with a moment to spare, but emerged stumbling back to the cracked mast still visible above water as the hull exploded under Luffy's landing. Luffy whirled around and shot forward towards Law without hesitation, just barely flicking over the water.

Law grabbed hold of the mast with one hand, the sails torn and flapping uselessly in the wind and snagging onto the water to sink it and pull the mast down faster. Law snarled with concentration as he found himself looking at the scarred, callused knuckles of the inbound rubber boy. He jerked his head to the right to avoid impact, Luffy's body following moments later. Law kicked away from the mast, Luffy so close to him that Law could smell him. The moment they made eye contact, Luffy released a fart so foul that Law's senses immediately went into overdrive, and his temperament exploded. The smell was so wretched that Law mentally stumbled, instinctively covering his mouth and nose as he jumped backward.

From behind, Ace hit him with a boot to the back, knocking Law violently forward. His fingers automatically gripped his sword to keep it from falling into the ocean with the attack, grimacing under the surprise impact. Sabo was immediately there as well, both of them propelled forward with the weight of Zoro's assisting gesture as the swordsman settled onto the platform with a hard exhale, swords lowered as he watched pensively.

Before Law could brace himself, Sabo locked his own limbs around the older man's back, both of them slamming through the mast and breaking that. Ace dove after them, wrapping his strong arms around Law's waist and forcing the three of them into the water. They missed hitting the floating sail by inches. Luffy managed to snag what was left of the broken mast with panic, yelling as he came within inches of the water surface as the large supportive pole settled against the water with a splash. The sail fluttered and sank underneath the waves as the three men disappeared below surface.

"Did we get 'im?" Zoro called out, unable to see beyond the floating piece of ship that obscured his vision of the scene. Luffy scrambled up the rest of the mast to that part, looking over to seeing where the three had landed.

"I can't see them, but I know they're in there!" Luffy shouted back, looking with concentration into the water.

"Did we win?" Ussop called out nervously, lifting his head from the piece of debris he was floating on, Franky looking spent as he settled atop of what looked like the roof of the cabin.

Underwater, Law panicked. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move with the weight of the two determined men wrapped around him, and neither of them gave him any give. He absolutely trusted that they'd force him unconscious and not actually drown him to kill. He refused to let go of his sword, their combined weight forcing them to sink lower under the surface. He couldn't see their faces, their combined air bubbles and panicked flailing making it difficult to see anywhere around him. All the past memory of being in the water – _Sanji's doing_ – caused Law's thoughts to scatter. He breathed in, gulping belatedly, then covered his mouth and nose against that. Unfortunately, it didn't help him any. He sputtered then choked, kicking instinctively towards the surface. Small movement helped, and despite the men clinging to him, he was moving towards the surface steadily with his superhuman strength.

Sabo's arms tightened around his neck and shoulders, then adjusted to fit securely around his neck instead. It was surprising he had that sort of strength at all, and Law briefly panicked under that gesture and his own terror at drowning made his lack of concentration fail. Ace's arms tightened around his waist, slowly pulling him back as Law struggled with his own mental downfall. Unfocused, he released his Room to divert attention on this.

Seeing the shapes of the pieces of boat ahead, Law swung his sword up mightily and focused his telekinesis on that. He thought about shoving the sword through the wood, and in reaction, pulled the three of them forward in that motion. They slammed into and through the wood with hard force, exploding out of the water and flying into the air. Luffy whirled around and followed after them, using his brothers' flailing bodies as weight support to propel him after Law. The man was uncentered, coughing noisily to expel water from his lungs and wasn't focused on Luffy.

"Gum Gum _PISTOL_!" Luffy shouted, shooting that fist towards him in what would be a sure impact to fell the older man back towards the island.

But instead of connecting with Law, he connected instead with Sanji, who took the impact full force. It knocked both of them through the air with an impressive effect that resounded throughout the area and caused the water surface below to ripple and blow outward. Luffy meant to hurt Law forcefully enough to break bones, and his entire superhuman strength was behind it.

Horrified to see that Sanji had taken that impact, Luffy's mouth fell open with shock. The force sent both of the pair flying a considerable distance away from them, slamming directly into the island's shallow waters.

"Agghhhhhh!" he shrieked with near panic. " _Nooooooo_! SANNNNJJJJIIIII!"

"What the hell was that?" Franky shouted, having only seen little due to flying water and debris.

"I think it was Sanji!" Ussop gasped with horror, lifting himself up to look in that direction. "He jumped into the middle of it!"

" _Where the hell did he come from_?"

In mid-air, Luffy panted noisily, shocked that he hadn't sensed the omega's interference. He couldn't sense him at all! But he drew his hand back, looking at it with a horrified expression. It trembled in effect, his entire being reverberating with what he'd done. Then he drew it to his nose, inhaling deeply, hoping to get Sanji's smell from that. He was furious when he only smelled Law and sea water, releasing a maddened howl.

"Did we get him?" Ace cried, popping out from the water with Sabo's assistance, both of them missing the moment. They looked back at Luffy as he howled, both of them wearing mystified expressions.

Luffy slammed back into the water at that same time, Zoro straightening up with a look of irritation as he looked towards the pair that finally hit the water away from them. He couldn't see their fates from their position, but he had to whistle low at the momentum and distance they'd taken from Luffy's most powerful punch.

" _That's_ gonna leave a mark," he decided lightly, lowering his swords. He looked to the others. "Now, how are we going to get back?"

: :

Mihawk shielded his eyes against the morning sun as he observed the two sluggishly wading through the shallows towards the shore. In the distance, he could see that the group had commandeered the platform Law had used with Franky being used as the motor. _Somehow_.

"Is that man _farting_ his way back to the beach?" he mumbled to himself incredulously, unable to accept what he was seeing. His head slumped forward as Shanks made his presence known, slapping the back of his head hard enough to knock his floppy hat from his flattened black hair.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Shanks snarled at him viciously, looking to the scene with wide-eyed horror. He looked sloppy, as if he'd thrown on his clothes in a haste without coordination or effort. He was even barefoot. "What the hell is going on here? _You_ did this, I'm one hundred percent sure of it!"

Gathering himself together, Mihawk straightened up and glared over at him as Shanks left his side and hurried to the shoreline to panic over the two clamoring towards the beach. "Damn," he muttered bitterly. " _How_ is he still standing?"

"What the hell is going on here? What are you doing? What the hell happened out there?" Shanks shouted from the beach furiously, meeting the pair halfway and dragging both of them by their arms up to the sand. He flung one after the other into the dirt, face filling with anger. He noticed Sanji curling up to hug himself with a groan and Law looking guilty as he looked him over.

"Take him to the hospital," Law then ordered, rising sluggishly to his feet before looking back at the group approaching the island. Shanks was surprised that he was still clinging to his sword in all this mess. "I need to kill Luffy, first."

"You're not killing anybody! If you wanted to, you should've already did it out there!" Shanks snapped back at him, looking at Sanji again. "Your omega is _wounded_ , tend to his fucking wounds! YOU! Asshole with the hat! Are those terrorists or friends out there?"

"Just stupid kids," Mihawk replied sourly, patting his hat back into place.

"Then go get them," Shanks snapped at him, seeing Benn, Lucky Roo and the others emerge onto the beach with sleepy expressions. Shanks turned to look back at the approaching group and was surprised to see that Benn had used his magic to draw them close enough to be identified. "Luffy! Sabo! Ace! Zoro! Ussop! Franky! Get your stupid asses over here, let me talk to you without having to shout!"

"You're already shouting," Mihawk complained, looking irritated.

"I wouldn't be shouting if I had known that something stupid was happening, you stupid alpha," Shanks snarled at him, inches from his face before stomping back to the shore.

He noticed Luffy preparing to launch himself at Law once more, the tattooed alpha's hand already curling up and sand erupting from the shore. Shanks used his abilities to force some calm into both of them, but it merely knocked their minds senseless. Sand fell uselessly back to ground and Luffy stumbled on his feet, hands to his head. The rest of the group staggered, and Franky sank underneath the surface of the water, platform shooting ahead of him while Ussop fell backward, unconscious. Zoro stumbled, hand to his head with surprise while Sabo grimly settled himself before diving in to retrieve the two drowning. Ace looked petulant, but he fell to his knees and braced himself before he could hit the platform surface.

"All of you, power down!" Shanks snapped over the restless sounds of the beach, his crew snickering or looking amused at the scene they watched. He caught sight of Law looking at Luffy with warning while Luffy glared at him, teeth bared as his stringy body tightened with renewed tension. Both of them were radiating such angry auras that it caused the area to vibrate a little underneath the strength. Birds took flight with panicked cries, and trees rustled gently with the renewed force in the air. Even the water underneath their feet seemed to bubble and quiver, seemingly ready to snap when they did.

Once they reached the shore, Ace happily hugged the dirt with relief while Zoro stepped off the platform with his swords sheathed, observing the scene with a frown. Sabo slowly dragged the other two behind him, straining with the effort. Lucky Roo headed out to assist him, snickering at the sight of Franky's exposed ass to the world as the cyborg stayed unconscious and Ussop nearly drowned with Sabo dragging him by one foot.

"I don't want him alive, Shanks!" Luffy snarled, glaring at Law. "I don't want him here!"

"Well, you have no choice in that matter, Luffy," Shanks snapped at him, reaching up to clutch at his cape with one hand and focusing intensely to keep them from reacting instinctively. Out of energy, Sabo collapsed against that power while Ace groaned noisily, Zoro staggering to his knees and barely bracing himself against the sand. Lucky Roo tossed both Sabo and Ussop over one shoulder and dragged Franky behind him out of the water while Benn looked over the other three with grave amusement.

Luffy strained to keep his focus, but it was a losing battle against the strength Shanks had. Law glowered at the teen, but even he felt weak in the knees against the overwhelming sensation the omega was forcing over all of them. Scattering their thoughts and weakening their will – forcing them to calm in spite of their agitated states.

"Both of you will take the suppressants," Shanks decided with a grievous frown. " _All_ the suppressants, until you can accept the fact, Luffy."

" _Never_!" Luffy snarled, then looked to Sanji. His expression then twisted to sympathy. "Sanji! Sanji, _I'm sorry_!"

"Get up, you weakling," Zoro grumbled in the omega's direction. "You weren't hit that hard."

"Sanji! _I'm so sorry_!" Luffy cried in panic, intending on moving in that direction when Law stepped out in front of him with a snarl. "Get out of my way, Law! This is all _your_ fault in the first place! You made me hit him, you were supposed to be dead!"

"I regret nothing," Law spit at him, flipping him off. "It's your fault in the first place for not understanding your place."

"My place is at his side! He's mine, I decided!"

" _Moron_."

"You lost this battle, and it was even at your own hand! You lost fair and square, you don't even deserve to live!"

"I didn't lose," Law replied evenly, determining the other alpha's position on the beach. Before any one of them could react, he drew up sand around Luffy and drove him deep underneath the ground surface, much to everyone's horror. Before anyone could stop him, he lifted and drove several very large boulders from nearby cliffs and a few trees atop of that particular spot. With the action, those standing around had to flee to avoid being pinned or hurt by flying debris. It knocked Shanks off his feet, concentration interrupted on holding their calm. Mihawk used his hat to protect him from the falling debris.

Ace shouted with panic upon seeing his little brother disappear under all that weight and force, Zoro's eyes widening with shock.

"I have you right where I wanted you," Law finished, smiling maliciously. "Everything was according to plan, down to the minute of this idiot's interference."

He looked over at Sanji with a light shrug. "Thanks, honey."

Sanji glared up at him with pain evident in his features, still hugging the tremendous, rupturing pain in his mid-section. He couldn't move, every breath he took similar to breathing in fire.

"Release him!" Shanks commanded of Law, looking at him with astonishment. "Let him go, you won, there's no need to kill him!"

"But there is. He's a threat. And I can't have threats interfering with my way of life," Law said simply, turning his back to him. Ace was on his feet to attack when Benn inserted himself between them, frowning at Shanks.

"I've buried him under several tons of weight," Law added. "If you can dig him back out within fifty seconds, then I'll stand down. But for now, I've given myself enough time to take my mate to the docks, where Penguin and Shachi should be unloading their children to the workers there. Then we'll be off. Thank you for your kindness."

"You're leaving?" Shanks asked, looking puzzled. " _But_ \- !"

"There is no life here for me. Now that I found my pair, I can move on with our lives and live elsewhere in relative peace." Glancing at the small hill of rock and tree, Law then said, "thirty six seconds left."

Before Shanks could say anything else, Law and Sanji were gone, replaced by plants that Shanks knew grew exclusively down at the docks. He looked to Mihawk, who gave a slight shrug, removing his sword from his back. With a couple of swipes, he lifted the debris from a smothering Luffy, then shattered every piece of matter into smithereens. Zoro gaped at him, utterly convinced he wouldn't be able to catch up to that alpha's abilities. Everything raining down on them were the size of small sand sized pebbles that _still_ hurt upon impact.

Rolling slowly onto his side, Luffy coughed noisily. Ace hurried over, arm shielding his own head as he checked on his brother. Covered in sand, Luffy looked around with exertion. Not seeing the pair, he desperately climbed to his feet.

"Where are they?" he commanded of Ace, who had to shrug. Luffy looked to Shanks. " _Where are they_?"

"I don't know! Frankly, Luffy, haven't you considered that this is _why_ they're fleeing? Law is threatened by you! Sanji feels threatened by you! I understand it's your instinct, but you can't allow it to cloud your judgement," Shanks begged him.

Luffy growled, clenching his fists tight. It took a few moments, but he was able to pinpoint the pair's location on the other side of the island. He stretched out for the tallest of trees away from them, Shanks leaping at him to try and stop him. But he landed hard on the dirt as Luffy slung shot himself up and over the mountain, intending on preventing the pair's escape.

Shanks hit the dirt with a fist. " _Damn it_! If he finds them, they're going to tear up the place!"

Mihawk walked over to his side and gruffly helped him to his feet. He wiped dirt from his mate's shoulders and back, _tsk_ ing. "Have you no faith in the matter, Shanks?"

"I don't want to hear it! I'm pissed off at you for allowing this shit to happen!"

"It's going to happen sooner or later. Why not get it over with, now?"

Shanks glowered furiously at him, then was striding off. "Benn! Get me there, now!"

Once they were gone, Zoro joined Mihawk as the others recovered slowly around them. "Aren't you going to stop them?" Zoro asked glumly.

"No," Mihawk replied calmly. "I'm going to allow him to exhaust himself chasing after those children. It'll benefit my comfort when it's all over. Frankly, it astounds me that an omega's way of thinking is so…unlike ours. They're so hasty to make peace in the midst of war that they'd put themselves into danger to stop it."

Zoro frowned at him. "I think Shanks will be fine."

"It's not only Shanks I'm speaking of," Mihawk said sharply to him. He looked Zoro over then stepped back to get a better picture. "My, you haven't grown very much, have you? Or is it just your forehead that's gotten bigger?"

" _Shut up_!"

: :

Overseeing the two men work hastily to maneuver "the secret ship" from the cavern, Law waited until the sails were unfurled and the wind caught them. Due to his plan, he'd found the pair of men at the docks as they were releasing children to the workers there, and teleported them all back to the ship hidden away to throw anyone off if they were searching for them. He felt smug that his plan had gone rather smoothly, but he noted that he had to do better next time. The group had shown him all his flaws in battle, and Law would think about that later.

The island would be left behind them, and he looked back at it with apprehension. It filled him with regret that he wasn't here any sooner – there were so many educational opportunities he was missing out on. Perhaps there was somewhere on the mainland that would suit his needs, but those were spread out so far and wide that it would take exploring new areas on that continent to find them. Vast amounts of time wasted in that effort.

He looked down at Sanji, who was slowly sitting onto one of the cheery colored lounge chairs near the main cabin. Seeing that Penguin and Shachi had the ship under their control, Law hastened his step to Sanji and crouched down next to him to help shift his legs onto the chair. By the indication of Sanji's pale pallor and shaking hands, Luffy's punch had caused some damage. Despite his attitude, Law smoothed his messy hair from his face, tucking strands behind his ears.

"There's a medical bay on this tub," Law said. "Let me take you there."

" _No_ ," Sanji refused, gritting his teeth. He jerked his head from Law's touch, causing the alpha to look at him with irritation. "I want to watch the island as we leave it. Leave me alone."

"Then don't act like you're dying," Law retorted, rising to stand.

Sanji lowered his gaze to the island that still stood so bright and green against the ocean. The sight of the birds fluttering about, the green of the trees, the sight of visible roads and buildings – it was nothing like he'd seen on the mainland. It was a land of opportunity for many, a safe haven for children. It was the place where he'd grown up safe and secure, and the place where he'd went mad. It was where all his friends felt free and he met some pretty interesting people with stories unlike his.

The thought of returning to the mainland left him feeling smothered. He didn't want to go when he wasn't ready, yet he felt he hadn't a choice.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked tersely, looking at Law, who hadn't moved from his side. "What freedoms and opportunities you had experienced here?"

"Yeah, whatever. It wasn't that big of a deal."

"You must be feeling pretty good, right? Nothing's going to ruin your mood," Sanji muttered bitterly. "Did you at least pack some suppressants for the both of us?"

"If I can learn to _will_ them under my control, you can, too."

"…Right…"

Law suddenly attuned himself to his omega. He felt like he'd done something wrong, but in the midst of his victory, he couldn't understand what. "Why aren't you happy?"

Sanji watched the island slowly gain some distance behind them. The sails were up, fluttering and flapping noisily overhead as Penguin and Shachi worked together to successfully catch the strong wind. "We're just going back to what we came from. Why would I be happy?"

"I have a strong feeling you're not grateful for anything I do," Law snapped. "I saved you. _Twice_! From that life we were supposed to live and from that little fucker who wanted to claim you, whom _you_ feared! And you're ungrateful for any of my efforts!"

Sanji bitterly tightened his lips. He swallowed noisily and looked down at his mid-section. "You're right," he mumbled. "I heap amounts of praise upon my alpha, who takes care of me, limb or life. No matter what, I can count on you for my life."

"There, see?"

"As for any sort of happiness…?" Sanji frowned up at him. "That's not something either of us will ever obtain."

Law stared down at him with a heavy, disappointed frown.

"The environment of which we grow matters, Law," Sanji told him lightly. "Human beings adjust and alter themselves and…I suppose it hasn't quite hit you yet that this is possible."

"I don't understand why that even matters. You got to run around free while I did all the work. You still will be able to do that."

"Over here, you could relax and breathe easy knowing you don't have to watch your back. You put down your sword. You didn't have to kill. All you had to do was follow a few rules and teach a few kids how to live. But in spite of that, you want to abandon all of that to return to a place that only shaped you into what you are, now." Sanji shook his head bitterly, clasping his hands over his stomach. "I knew settling here wouldn't satisfy you. I hadn't doubted your plans. But I _refuse_ to give you children in that environment to grow up like us."

Law stared at him for several moments, then looked down at his mid-section. A strange alarm sounded off in his head, piercing his thoughts. He couldn't move, even as overwhelming panic and instinctive keening went off through his very being. He formed a Room and assimilated into his mate with a rushed gesture, assessing Sanji's injuries. There was heavy injury to his ribs, internal organs and reproductive sack that was enlarging and threatening to rupture. Sanji was deliberately prolonging emergency medical treatment.

They were down in the medical bay in moments, panic firing off in every fiber of Law's being. If he couldn't reproduce, then what good was he as an alpha? He didn't _want_ children, but that was his nature – eventually, he needed to do so. And now that he could, his focus was breeding with his very willing omega. But if Sanji deliberately prevented that, what was Law supposed to do?

He turned away to wash his hands in the stainless steel sink and turned to examine the room for the proper tools and medicine needed to fix Sanji before the damage was too late. He noticed Sanji sitting up at the edge of the table, bracing himself against the edge. Staring at Law with determination, he burst into fire.

Law realized Sanji was going to abide by his word. Long ago, this kid threatened Law he'd do so. Law could cut him in half and remove his limbs to allow him room to work on him, but Sanji's defensive fire would prevent him from even getting close to him. He turned away from the sink, looking horrified.

Sanji stared mulishly back at him, gripping the edge of the table with both hands. The fire alarm went off as smoke and heat accumulated quickly within the room – which was equipped to handle Sanji's combustion. Law looked up at the water nozzles overhead, wondering why they weren't going off.

"I had them turned off," Sanji said in response. Law would have to ask him later who helped him with that, because right now, he couldn't get into that.

Then he looked at Sanji with shock once more as Sanji watched him stubbornly.

Panicked breath building in his chest, making it difficult to breathe, Law struggled to outwit Sanji at this moment but he couldn't think of a single thing. His instinct as an alpha, to _protect_ his omega, was going into overdrive. He couldn't focus on a singular thought.

Gritting his teeth, Law felt his face and neck bulge with anger that reddened his skin. Seeing that _he_ won, Sanji smiled slightly.

: :

Late that night, Law realized he was being approached. But there was no danger to it – just the approach of a man in the same house as him. He still couldn't hold back his expression of distaste as Mihawk settled down next to him. Both of them watched as Chopper and a few other nurses tended to Sanji gingerly, the omega under a comatose state to allow them to operate on him. Law had insisted that he do it, but it occurred to him that he knew nothing about operating on an omega's reproductive system. It was something he'd intended on learning while he was here. He was sitting in his own churning, broiling feelings of guilt, failure and disgust when Mihawk found him.

Clicking his tongue against his teeth, Mihawk muttered, "Omegas are so underhanded and repulsively manipulative. Why can't they just be straight forward and obvious about their intentions like us alphas?"

Law managed to tear his eyes away from his mate to look at him with a look of disgust.

"Oh, which reminds me, Luffy allowed himself to be doped up with suppressants within the alpha center to calm his rage," Mihawk added, "so Sanji could be fixed. Can they save it?"

"I don't know," Law muttered, looking back at his omega.

Mihawk watched the group maneuver about, steadily monitoring screens and abiding to Chopper's quiet commands. He was in a taller form, with longer limbs and outrageously cute medical gear. Law's fear for his omega was too thick for him to appreciate the sight of the monster. "Chopper is an excellent doctor. Very well versed in omegas. I feel confident in his tiny hooves."

Law froze because he could not imagine trusting a monster with a scalpel and stethoscope when all he had were hooves for hands. But here he was, watching the monster concentrate on repairing the damage.

"You wrecked the secret ship into the docks," Mihawk continued. "People are _pissed_ …"

"The blame lays on Penguin and Shachi."

"You never would've cleared the wall."

"They were supposed to bring Nami," Law confessed slowly, "but she…was temperamental."

"Your omega saved your pitiful lives, and none of us feel grateful about it. Do we?"

Law grit his teeth, looking down at his clenched fists. Mihawk turned away from him.

"Disgusts me, too," he said, walking away. It occurred to Law that he was carrying a full bottle at one hand, Perona in cat form at his feet. He hadn't even noticed the damn cat sitting at the doorway, watching them like a statue herself.

: :

After hearing of the news, the group looked stunned. All of them were gathered in the detention center – Shanks was angry at them, but every one there was treating them like celebrities. They wanted to hear about their adventures while passing them cooked food and cold drinks from beyond the bars. Their cell was crowded with folding chairs and removed clothing that dried over available surfaces. Chomping down on every dish and snack they were given, they all ruminated on what happened.

Nami was in there as well, alerted to the news by the other teachers in the school. She was happy to see them all in one piece, alive and healthy but the other piece of news was frightening. She did feel relief that things hadn't gone the way they should've. It would hurt her if she wasn't able to say 'goodbye' to Sanji.

Ace leaned back in his chair, shaking his head with manly revulsion. "Sanji was always a sneaky piece of shit," he said. "I wanted to fight that guy, too. Always talking shit. Even when we were kids."

" _Ingenious_!" Sabo whispered, impressed. "But also very risky..."

"I guess if that's how you gotta hold onto a relationship, you better be sneaky about it," Zoro commented severely.

"That's still entrapment, isn't it?" Franky asked.

Nami frowned at all of them. "You _fuckwads_. Don't judge it so lightly based on your own moronic outlook on the matter. Those two can't help it – it's their _instinct_ that forces them to make their decisions. Of course Law was protecting Sanji from stupid Luffy, who thinks nothing about holding back with his assaults! And Sanji can't reach Law with _our_ logic because Law grew up in a shitty world where it's kill or be killed! Both of them have to manipulate each other in order to protect each other, and since Law couldn't see reason to stop himself from attacking you all, Sanji took it upon himself to stop the fight in the only way that captures Law's instinct! Law _has_ to protect him – Sanji counted on that to do so. It was the only way and it's a shitty way to mock them the way you guys are doing."

"That's a sad way of living," Ussop muttered.

"It'd be even sadder if Law succeeded in pulling away from the island!" Sighing, Nami fiddled with her shoulder length hair. "Sanji did what he could to make his alpha see some reason and used himself. If it's anyone's fault here, it's Luffy's!"

The others thought about it for a few moments, then grumbled in agreement.

"They were able to save it at least, right?" Nami then asked Mihawk, who was steadily finishing his newest bottle. He was sitting outside of the bars, Perona purring on his lap. Zoro hissed at her, causing the cat to hiss right back.

Once he realized their expectant attention was on him, Mihawk looked over with a start. "I'm sorry. I wasn't aware I had to be included in a conversation that has no involvement with me."

"Were they able to save Sanji or not?" Zoro asked him.

"I wasn't paying attention to the matter. I was marveling at the way Law had his hair cut. Very precise lines. I wonder who his barber is," Mihawk murmured thoughtfully, running a hand over his own beard and goatee while the others looked at him with annoyance. "Oh, but yes, I _did_ notice his omega was in surgery. He looked fine to me. I don't know, personally, if an omega is smiling while unconscious it means he's up to no good and I wouldn't trust him."

Ace _tsk_ ed. "He's a sneaky little monkey. I'll never forgive him until I defeat him in battle."

Nami whapped his head with an impatient hand then looked at Mihawk. "He's going to be okay, I totally trust in Chopper."

"I'm sure he will," Mihawk said, insulted that he was second guessed. "He's not a weakling. Neither of them are. Law's strength and talent in his abilities are very strong. Therefore, his omega matches him in similar aspects. If Luffy had landed that punch on Law, he'd be fine. But it vexes me that Sanji had me toss him out to that very spot. Even if those two were very strong, they're not stronger than me."

"So, when you sent him flying in our direction, it was _you_ who cut him," Zoro clarified. "All Luffy did was exacerbate the injury."

All of them looked at Mihawk with alarm as he suddenly realized he was the culprit. He stilled with the bottle halfway to his mouth then lowered it. Perona lifted her head to glare at him, ears back against her skull as her tail lashed. " _Huh_. Clever of him. Shifting blame to me. As if I wasn't already sleeping on the veranda because of my schemes…"

Nami shook her head. She the looked to the others. "All I ask right now is you don't go on any pissing detail while Sanji recovers. For the kids of the island, for Shanks' sake."

The group looked at each other grumpily. "But we have a score to settle," Ace muttered, picking at his nose.

"Yeah, we can't let that guy pick on us like that! He made us out into fools!" Ussop protested. "Made us look weak and vulnerable! I can't stand by and let him do that to us!"

"I don't have that big of a grudge against him," Franky said, ruffling at his Mohawk, "but I kinda do, now. He was willing to let me drown."

"I have no problem," Sabo said with a sigh. "I always thought he was a good person. I just got caught up in everyone else's problems."

"Don't act pious, you faker!"

"He's going to get it for calling out my forehead," Zoro muttered.

"Like everyone else doesn't!" Nami snapped at him. "Big forehead, no brains!"

" _What_? You're such a witch! We just got back and you're already yelling at us!"

"Yeah, Nami, what the hell are you doing in here anyway?"

"Get out! This is a mens' only matter!"

"Nami, look at the new additions to my muscles. I left here with a six pack and ended up with an eight pack…"

"It hasn't even been an hour since I came down here, and I'm already looking forward to when you leave," she huffed, rising to her feet and snatching her folding chair. "Don't go looking for Sanji. Let him approach you. I assure you, he isn't the same guy you left. He's better, now."

"God, you're so overprotective of that guy," Ace complained. "I'm starting to feel unloved."

Once she left, they listened to her clomp down the hall, heading for the main corridor out. The door slammed shut behind her, and every one of them gave each other looks.

"When should I tell her I dream about her every night?"

"Did you see the way she looked at me? She _totally_ wants me."

" _No way_! She was breathing more in my direction! I could see her nostrils flaring every time she took a breath while looking at me!"

"I can _vividly_ imagine her dominating me."

"Did you see us compare hands? I'm positive she was impressed with the length because you know what they say about big hands…"

" _Shut up_!"

"This is so embarrassing, you guys. There's more to life than stupid women…"

Mihawk glared over at them, Perona hopping down from his lap. They looked at him with tentative expressions as he pulled the iron door shut.

"I'll give you lot a night to think about the trouble you caused," he said. He ambled off, Perona's bell ringing out noisily as she walked with him.

Sabo then frowned, looking at the others. "The ship's gone, guys. If we're to show Sanji what we found…we're going to need to get along with Law to do it. He might be the only one to bring it back up."

All of them wore hard expressions, but came to an agreement with that.

Ace sighed noisily, leaning back in his chair once more. "Poor Luffy! I feel so sorry for him. All he talked about was Sanji. Maybe his hormones will somehow fall back into manageable order."

"I hope so," Sabo agreed fitfully. "Seeing him like that is frightening. I'm hoping for the best, though!"

Zoro snorted, giving them skeptic looks. "And you guys claim you know Luffy that well. Shit, I bet he's already broken out of the alpha retaining center and is making his way over to the hospital."

"Yeah right! Not under those suppressants! Dude falls asleep at the drop of a hat, there's just no way he'd do that," Ace laughed, giving him a look.

Little did he know, Luffy was sluggishly making his way to the brilliantly lit hospital in the center of the city, dazed and dizzy. All he could think about was getting to Sanji. He could feel him, faintly, and all Luffy knew was that getting to him was more important than sleep or reason. He kept sniffing the air, hoping he'd catch a whiff of Sanji's scent. His skin tingled and shuddered, reacting uncontrollably with his thoughts.

He'd get to Sanji, no matter what.


	21. Chapter 21

**: : Twenty-One**

* * *

Underneath the grogginess he felt from the remaining effects of sedation, Sanji found himself feeling the ripples of unease that told him he was in danger. He was lying on his stomach on a somewhat uncomfortable bed, so being unable to see much of anything caused his blood to pump with rising discomfort. He lifted his head, confused at the position and the surroundings before he remembered why he was in the recovery room. His back ached and pulled with recent surgery, filling him with rising alarm in that he was defenseless. His instincts started to pull together, filling his head with intrusive and panicked thoughts until he realized that he wasn't alone. Law was sitting in the chair nearby, glowering off at the floor. Arms crossed and his face dark with an angry expression, he reminded Sanji of the boy he'd first met.

But all those helpless feelings of panic quickly fell away. He felt assured and safe. His alpha was nearby. It was the first time he felt such confidence, and it was a new feeling for him to feel after all these years.

"Still mad?" he asked on a croak, Law glancing at him. His expression pulled heavier at the recognition of Sanji's consciousness, and Sanji chuckled.

"When am I _not_ mad?" Law retorted, crossing one ankle over one knee.

Determining that he was in a hospital gown that only gave doctors access to his bandaged area of surgery, Sanji pulled uncomfortably at the light collar. He'd rather be encased in warmer clothing but if this was needed…he pulled at the blanket to at least give him some decency.

"Good question."

"When did you get the chance to disable the sprinkler system on that shitty ship?"

"I had Penguin do it for me. He's far more reasonable than you are. _Dear_ ," Sanji added snidely while Law's lip curled. "Those two might worship the ground you walk on, but even they are capable of feeling like you're making a bad move. Without a navigator, they couldn't get past that wall, anyway. And I can easily evaporate moisture with heat, so the system was a fool's wish in every reflection. Which was why I couldn't leave the island – every attempt and construction into a safe room for me to utilize ended in a failure. Franky thought of everything he could but none of it could be useful. He thought he'd find something on the mainland."

"Every excuse you use is only making my mood worse."

Sanji rolled his eyes and shook his head ever so slightly. Law was only unreasonable when he felt insecure about something, and this battle was clear indication of this.

"You've matured _so_ much," he mumbled, gathering his pillow to his cheek. He then he looked at Law with a frown. "I was wondering – why choose the ocean as a battlefield when you're afraid of water?"

"I'm _not_ afraid of water."

"Law."

"I chose it as to hold a battle off the island, per their requests. Every aspect of my plan was perfect, but you fucked it up. As usual."

"You did it because they knew you were afraid of water and you wanted to assert yourself. Well, in all aspects, you did. You were winning until they teamed up. But your mega brain recorded and filed away everything about their actions – some of them were correct with your assumptions, and some of them are brand new. So, your next course of action will go accordingly to your next plan."

"I just wanted off this fucking island, there's nothing special about it," Law muttered with a roll of his eyes, his arms tightening across his chest.

"I might've been sedated, but I heard the frustration in your voice when you realized you couldn't perform the surgery. Law," Sanji insisted gently, "there's no reason to make everyone your enemy, here. _No one_ has it out for you, _no one_ is planning to stab you in the back like they do mainland. I understand you have trust issues, but these are good people here."

Law finally pierced him with a look. "They. _Challenged_. Me."

"They were coming _home_! I doubt they even knew you were here!"

Law then furrowed his brow, straightening in his chair before looking at the door. Sanji could feel it, too. The incoming presence of an alpha on a mission. Sanji knew it was Luffy – it was a faint power source, but still riddled with danger. His own senses felt unsettled, but he felt comfortable in his alpha's presence.

Law then looked at him suspiciously. "Bringing this subject up. You're distracting me."

"I'm not. I'm distracting myself." Sanji exhaled slowly, then gave him an uncertain look. "I know that's my friend out there. But…"

Law rose up from his chair with a sound of disapproval. "You're weak."

"You two could fight to the deaths and I _physically_ can't do a thing to stop it. So I'm appealing to your reason."

"I have none. I'll just kill him. He's heavily suppressed. Easy and vulnerable for me to kill. No one can stop me."

"Tell me," Sanji then said hastily, propping himself lightly until he felt the tender pull at his back, causing his body to react uncomfortably, "for bonded pairs, it shouldn't cause any unbonded alpha or omega to react, right?"

Law frowned. "Yes."

"So…why are we still reacting to another alpha?"

Law's frown tightened. "Because he's a moron, that's why."

"But Shanks nor Mihawk reacted."

Law exhaled shortly, losing a little of his hard expression. He reached for the chart at Sanji's bedside while Sanji watched him, patiently waiting for an answer. He then reached to his head, scratching fitfully. After a few moments, Law dropped the chart atop of Sanji's legs, then pulled his waistband out to scowl down into his pants.

He then looked at Sanji, releasing his clothes. "We're still irritating the fuck out of each other. _That's_ why."

Sanji wasn't sure how to assess these things when he hadn't even been paying attention to them. Due to the surgery, parts of him still felt numb and tingly anyway. "We still need time together…"

"That's why I was trying to leave, and you fucked it all up! _Years_ apart cannot be fixed by mere band aids in the span of weeks."

"So, let me get this straight," Sanji interrupted him, lifting his head, "you wanted to leave a safe and secure island to fix the bond between us, or you wanted to leave the island because you couldn't fit in?"

Law fell stubbornly silent, so Sanji felt it was the latter and not the former. Law reached up to swipe at his hair, then scratched subtly at his chin before sitting. He resumed his earlier position – ankle on knee, crossed arms – and glowered at the table.

"I'll kill Penguin for contributing to your crimes," he mumbled.

Sanji looked at him with pity.

" _After_ I kill Luffy. Then track down the other morons and kill them, too. Soundly. Every one of them."

"This doesn't sound like Doflamingo in the slightest."

Law reddened, gritting his teeth noisily. He whipped about in his chair to glower at Sanji, and Sanji reflected that this was still a very sensitive aspect for Law. But it gave him some fuel – for Sanji, Law's dislike for the comparison suggested that the man was still a good person. The moment Law began inviting the comparison positively was the moment Sanji couldn't reach him.

The knock at the door startled them both. Sabo gave them both tentative smiles.

"I see that both of you still bait and argue with each other like old men," he commented lightly. "The tension is still so strong. Takes me back a few years. What was this about killing everybody, Law?"

Law glared at him, sitting back in his chair while Sanji exhaled.

"I broke myself out of jail," Sabo then added. "Just for a few minutes, I'll return myself shortly. I had to check for myself whether Luffy was still contained. His aggression was something of a concern for all of us. Of course, there was a jailbreak out at the alpha center and people are looking for him. Crocus is on the hunt, and that old man is quite unreasonable. He's armed with a harpoon."

"I'm mere moments from killing you, so spit out what you want to say," Law ordered.

"Before anyone kills anybody around here, we had something on our ship that we were going to show Sanji," Sabo said, entwining his fingers together.

"It's gone, now. The underwater current of the ocean should have dragged it away. So you might as well as just tell me what it was and save me the problem of wondering whether or not I should be actually interested in it."

Sabo exhaled as he gave Law an incredulous look. "Seriously, all that's changed about you is your appearance."

"Ten seconds."

Sabo gave Sanji an exasperated look.

"Nine seconds."

"I can't control this asshole," Sanji muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"Seven seconds."

"I came here as a sort of peaceful - !"

"Five seconds."

Outraged, Sabo sputtered, "During our travels, near the land of the dead, we found bones. With Brook's hair."

Law paused his countdown, lowering his hand while Sanji perked up with interest.

"Long ago, he said he had died at the time of the apocalypse, right? These bones were welded into a steel box – we at first thought it was treasure, or some sort of power source Franky could use to engineer something of a land vehicle we could use, but they were his bones. With the same clothing Brook had been wearing the night they'd disappeared. It was found in one of those roadside shacks, nestled underneath a bench. Forgotten and ignored all these years until Franky pulled it out. When he opened it, we knew what it was. So we brought it with us."

"There was nothing with him that said anything about Cora?" Sanji asked curiously.

"No. But…if Brook was…actually dead, I thought for sure someone on the island could determine the forensics of that matter." Sabo looked at Law skeptically. "Now that you're here, maybe _you_ can do something."

"I'm not a damn forensics investigator."

"As soon as I'm feeling better," Sanji spoke up, "then we'll take a ship out to find this. Despite this asshole's words and actions, _of course_ he'd want to know the details of Brook's remains. Give me a couple of days, Sabo."

Sabo gave his back a skeptical look, but he nodded. "Franky can locate the sunken ship, but getting it back up will be a problem."

"I can hold my breath for a long time," Sanji assured him, to which Sabo had to agree with.

"Great. Well, get better soon. I'm going to look around the hospital for any sign of that other idiot, and…we'll be in touch." After giving them both a nervous smile, Sabo turned and left the room.

Sanji looked at Law from the corner of his eye. Once he recognized the slight furrow of the older man's brow that told Sanji Law was distracted from the current event, he said quietly, "Nami is an excellent navigator. If there is anything in the ocean around this island, she can find it."

Scowling, Law glanced at him. But he rose from the chair and strode out from the room, slamming the door behind him. Sanji lifted his head, wearing a worried expression. The silence of the room began to settle in, and he nervously gave the window a visual examination before the door opened again. Law was pushing a wheelchair in front of him, and Sanji couldn't help but give the older man an exasperated shake of his head.

"I _just_ had major surgery," he reminded Law with annoyance. "There are stitches within stitches and staples and broken skin that is still leaking…!"

"And you're a smoker with a huge lung capacity, so who is the liar here? Hurry up." Law waited for him with an impatient expression, and Sanji frowned at him with exasperation. But he did make the effort, sighing heavily.

"Help me." Sanji reached out to allow Law to help him sit up, then took his hands so that the man could assist him that way. But once he had a sure grip, Sanji looked at him with resolve and said, "This is for your own good."

: :

The silence of the room was intense and Sanji was still feeling guilty for his actions. After purposefully scalding Law's hands, the nurses on night duty decided it was best that they remain separated. Sanji heard them assuring Law that they'd dress the wounds down the hall, so it wasn't as if Law wasn't out of earshot should Sanji call for him.

 _Why is he so damn stubborn_? Sanji thought with frustration. _Why can't he just sit and_ listen _?_

He moved lightly to rest mostly on his right side, feeling uncomfortable. He didn't like how he'd carried out his plan to interfere, it felt rotten and devious, but if he didn't set his heels then Law would be dragging him about like a rag doll.

He looked up at the sliver of sound that interrupted his frustrated musing. He wasn't even sure where it had come from, and he stilled, certain that perhaps he'd imagined it. But he lifted his head, looking towards the door. All of his instincts were ringing, so he assumed that Luffy had finally found his way in. But he was also confident that Law could sense this as well, and while his heart thundered with panic, Sanji convinced himself that the only reason why he felt so upset and afraid was because of his damn instincts.

It was only an omega responding to the might of an untethered alpha. He swallowed tightly, then rolled over to sit up carefully, wincing at the pull of his back. He watched the door apprehensively, positive Law would be back at any moment.

The glass from the window shattered, and he jolted with surprise, looking over just in time to see Luffy collapse to the floor amidst the glass shards. Sanji restrained himself from doing anything other than looking, maintaining his control over very instinctive action to protect himself. The teen was taller than when Sanji had last seen him; sprouting his way to manhood. It bothered Sanji that this instinctive fear he felt made his worries feel so damn _foolish_ – he'd grown up with this kid. He'd seen Luffy through all their childhood stresses and happy moments, grew up knowing what he liked and disliked, watched all his childish meltdowns; it felt like he was fearing a damn toddler.

But Luffy was an alpha with magic abilities that rendered him superhuman and aggressive, and it was his own omega fears of vulnerability that made Sanji feel so apprehensive. Luffy could look right at him and smile big and broad but at the same moment make Sanji feel like he couldn't fight him off.

He didn't want to hurt him, didn't want to hurt his feelings, but he didn't belong to Luffy, either. He could see that the kid was dealing with a major dosage of suppressants, and the fact that he was still moving consciously towards Sanji made Sanji grit his teeth.

Luffy lifted his head, looking in his direction with as much cheer as he could muster. When he pushed himself to his feet, every action was uncoordinated and heavy. He was clearly unhurt by his physical actions – Sanji knew they were on the third floor, overlooking the parking area. Luffy had somehow located him through sense of instinct and used his abilities to project himself upward to him. The fact that he could be so easily located – it made Sanji frustrated that his bond with his own married partner was that weak to allow another alpha to find him.

But as Law said, years of separation couldn't be fixed that easily. There was still so much to learn of _this_ Law compared to the one Sanji last knew – and vice versa.

"Hi, Sanji!" Luffy said, his words mangled by a heavy tongue. "I finally found you. It was really hard…like… _really_ hard, I can barely smell you, anymore. But I did it, I found you! Man, you're a sight for these sore eyes!"

"Hi….Luffy," Sanji returned, struggling. He realized his hands were balled into fists, and he forced his fingers to straighten while his gut twisted. "Just had surgery. Chopper said I can't move or be moved just yet. So…no hugs. Understand?"

"Yeah! I'm…so _sorry_ ," Luffy then apologized, stretching over to the table. But his limbs fell heavy, hands smacking off the lip of the bed and pulling at his already moving body to the floor. He caught himself in time, but stretched up like a snake to rest his head onto Sanji's thigh. Sanji never felt such revulsion shake through him, before. It took a lot of his own self-control to quiet the stark rippling of his skin that immediately flared to uncomfortable prickling. "It was Law I was aiming for. I didn't even know you were there."

"Of course I stepped in to help my _mate_ ," Sanji responded, pulling his hands to his sides to avoid touching him. But Luffy snuggled up against his leg like some animal seeking comfort, still smiling broadly. "My _mate_ , whom I was married to. My _mate_ , who searched and found me – he's still here, it's important that you go back to the alpha center, Luffy."

"I don't want to. I've been thinking about you all this time," Luffy responded lightly but stubbornly. He twisted his head to sniff at Sanji's leg, breathing in deeply. Then recoiling with a disgusted face. "All I smell is hospital stuff."

"I told you."

"I missed you so much, Sanji," Luffy said with a sigh, rubbing his cheek against Sanji's thigh, then shifting to sit atop of the bed itself. Sanji immediately put his hands up to keep the teen from crawling atop of him, and managed to squirm to the side to at least let him sit. Luffy instead reached for his hair, ensnaring the long, tangled strands into both hands. He inhaled deeply, Sanji pulling back to escape his proximity. "I know Law's here, but I don't think it's a great idea. You see what he did back there? Attacked us all. With kids – I even brought you _kids_! Kids we found over there that were lost and wandering – we should go see them, I've been telling them all about you - !"

"I will later, okay? But I can't – listen, you can't do this," Sanji said impatiently, yanking his hair out of Luffy's grasp and then using his shoulder to prevent Luffy from hugging him. " _Stop_. I just had back surgery, I can't have you all over me."

"I just want to be next to you. I don't care if you light me on fire, anymore!" Luffy whined, looking at him with determination. He elongated his arms anyway, wrapping them around Sanji and pulling him close. Sanji emitted as much heat as he could without hurting the other boy, causing Luffy to draw back with a snap. "Ow! Hot! Hot!"

"You _can't_ ," Sanji then insisted firmly, tossing his hair behind him. He then pulled the blanket up as much as he could, needing its protection. The smell of burning fabric was sharp and intrusive, but when he searched, he didn't seen any scorch marks just yet. "You can't touch me, you can't – look. I need boundaries."

"Just because Law is here doesn't mean anything," Luffy muttered bitterly, wearing a pout. "Where is he now? He just left you here. You're in the hospital, and he _left_ you."

"He's down the hall – he knows you're here, _Sabo_ knows you're here, he was just looking for you."

Luffy stared at him for some moments, then looked puzzled as he glanced around. "Won't you set this place on fire?"

"I've been in better control of myself since Law came," Sanji murmured. "That isn't so much of a danger, anymore."

Luffy's eyes then dropped to his visible skin, scanning with concern. "And there's only a little bit of scratches on you…"

Sanji nodded vaguely, indicating that this applied with what he'd just said.

"I just wanna be here with you," Luffy then said, leaning in close again. He made to touch Sanji's bare skin. "I've been so excited to come back and - !"

"I understand, but it's not the same right now," Sanji said uncomfortably, dodging his hands and once again emitting heat to keep the teen from leaning into him.

Luffy stared at him, barely able to keep his head up. Sanji felt sorry for his actions, feeling uncomfortable pity for him. The suppressants made Luffy's eyes glassy and heavily hooded, and every word was slurred with effort. But it also made Sanji feel like he was purposely being mean. It was an uncomfortable position to be in, and he found he was hugging himself lightly; both with awkwardness and protection.

"I get that," Luffy insisted slowly, looking between them before deciding to brave the heat and lean in to rest his head up against Sanji's neck. He inhaled deeply, reaching up to touch Sanji's face, fingers uncomfortably hot and sweaty against Sanji's skin as he stroked his face clumsily. Sanji froze, because it felt like an apex predator had just decided it had found its meal, and was only searching for the most vulnerable spot to latch onto. He felt the tip of Luffy's nose in his neck, the sensation of air against his skin and all of him was repulsed.

Sanji pushed him away once more, giving an angry, " _Stop touching me_."

Giving him a shocked look, Luffy sat there with his hands in mid-air. He looked like a child denied his favorite treat, and wasn't sure how to respond. Sanji gave him an uncomfortable look.

"I don't like it, Luffy," he said quietly. "I'm sorry you feel this way, but you can't do this. Your behavior is inappropriate."

"But we _always_ used to hug each other."

"That was before you bloomed into the alpha monster you are, now. I'm not a free omega, Luffy. I'm bonded."

"Then why do I still sense you? Why do I want these simple things too much? It doesn't make sense – you're saying we can't even be friends?"

"Friends have boundaries, too. You wouldn't be treating – Zoro or Ussop like this, would you?"

" _Ew_ , no…I don't want to touch them like I want to touch you. There are things I want to _do_ and things that I _want_ that I don't even…like, I _can't_ think of doing it with anyone else," Luffy expressed with frustration. He looked at Sanji with a pleading expression. "You understand what I mean, right?"

Sanji gave an uncomfortable nod, hugging his middle lightly. "I know. But you can't do that with me. I'm sorry. I don't want you to do that."

"Are you saying that I scare you, or something?"

"I…can't help it. Once you became an alpha, I can't…I don't feel… _confident_ that you'll remain on your best behavior."

"It's because _I_ feel like this that I feel like your bond doesn't matter. I have a chance, and for some reason, you're not giving me a chance! If it was meant to be, you wouldn't make me feel this way."

Sanji chewed at the inside of his cheek before saying quietly, " _I'm_ not _making_ you feel anything. It's you. It's your own instinct, and you need to learn how to control them – use your morals to determine what the best course of action is. You _have_ those. Don't let your body tell you how you're supposed to feel. Use your heart to make the best decisions."

Looking stubbornly off to the side, Luffy considered this. Then his countenance grew bitter as he looked at Sanji once more, and Sanji struggled to hold his own firm expression. The tension racketed suddenly, practically vibrating the very air.

He shook his head slowly, unable to look away from the teenager. "Don't you dare, or I will hurt you," he warned quietly, every word bitter to his own tongue.

His expression pulling heavily into a frown, Luffy watched him as his hands curled into fists. Then he looked to the window, head bobbing ever so slightly.

"You do anything to take me away from here, you will pull my stitches and I will bleed out before we even hit the ground," Sanji threatened him, reaching out to clutch onto the bed's railings just in case. Luffy looked from his determined expression to his hands clutching desperately to the metal. Then shifted to Sanji's mid-section, obviously searching for the point of injury. It made Sanji utterly uncomfortable to be looked at like that – like he was a meal to be devoured. Maybe Luffy wasn't aware he was doing it, but his eyes dropped and lingered, pupils widening ever so slightly.

His pheromones began to build, an alpha's interest coloring the air with a tinge of metal and danger. It made Sanji think of that moment when the hug Luffy last gave him was treacherous and menacing, his skin repulsed by the acknowledgement of the alpha's interest.

"If you guys were bonded, then why aren't you pregnant yet?"

Sanji felt uncomfortable even answering that.

"Don't omegas get pregnant when their alphas want them to be? So why aren't you? Law obviously doesn't want you to be, so it means he doesn't value you."

"I just had surgery," Sanji then repeated softly. He swallowed hard, gathering strength to lie. It felt horrid that he was appealing to the ethics Luffy held himself by rather than verbal reason. "And I lost whatever was happening in there. Okay?"

Luffy then looked at him, making straight eye contact. Every part of his expression reflected a dark sort of victory, which made Sanji stumble a bit. It was part of their instinct to know there was still a chance to take over, but Sanji couldn't help but compare that expression to something animalistic and barbaric. It took away the cherished image he had of his best friend, and left something twisted behind.

"That's a _bad_ thing," he snapped, Luffy then looking contrite. "That's your damn instinct being happy about someone else's loss."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was makin' a face," Luffy mumbled. Since his expression looked apologetic, Sanji could forgive him. Luffy's eyes then lingered on Sanji's middle, and Sanji pulled the blanket up and around himself in response. "But I thought that was the point of it. Having kids."

"It is. If not for this fight, I'm sure I would have been…carrying," Sanji stammered uncomfortably. Frankly, Sanji couldn't picture himself going that route. It was always an intimidating thought.

Luffy scowled, lower lip sticking out as he clumsily crossed his arms over his chest. "I still have a chance to kill him."

"And if you did, I would never forgive you. I appreciate and value him."

"I notice you didn't say 'love'."

"Well, I mean…that word is difficult when it comes to omegas and alphas. It might never be the right word. We can cherish each other because we have to, but only if we work together can we actually find that we…love each other. That sort of thing."

"That doesn't make sense. I'm pretty sure _I_ love you," Luffy whined, reaching out to touch his hair and having Sanji gently redirect his hand away.

"You only do because you are told by your instincts that you have to. And it's not necessarily for me and my big personality – it's because your body demands to reproduce. That is the dictation of an alpha."

Luffy looked confused, then resolved. He reached for one of Sanji's hands, but Sanji pushed that away. "See? That's what I'm saying – Law doesn't want you because he's never tried to have kids with you."

"My mate chose to fight his instincts until I was old enough to understand what it meant to _mate_ , Luffy. Considering that he actively chooses to refuse to follow the strict role of his instinct, Law's strength is unmatched by other alphas. After all those years, it's difficult to let down one's rigid rules."

Luffy finally looked at him with a start, and Sanji realized he was talking to Luffy all wrong. Impatiently, he said, "He's the _stronger_ alpha. He doesn't allow his instincts to rule him. Therefore, I choose to be his mate rather than yours, because you let your instincts tell you what to do."

Wearing a cross expression, Luffy eyed him with comprehension. But Sanji could feel him shifting his thoughts around, his pheromones lessening in strength. He felt like he could breathe, now.

Wearing a frustrated frown, Luffy mumbled to himself, " _How_ do you ignore that stuff?"

"He did it. And clearly, there's no other alpha that can perform the same feat."

His chin tightened stubbornly as Luffy considered this, Sanji watching him with caution. Rising from the bed steadily, Luffy then looked at Sanji with regret. For a moment, Sanji could see him debating fiercely with his instincts and his desire to be the stronger alpha. His fingers balled into fists at his sides.

"I guess this is why I can't sense you as much anymore, Sanji," Luffy then said softly, brow tight. "I guess that makes sense."

Sanji detected that this was coming to an end. He looked up at him hopefully. "Then you'll stop fighting? Because I'm not a free omega, I never was. I've always belonged to him."

"Isn't that something you'd want to break free of?" Luffy then demanded, looking at him crossly. "To not belong to someone?"

"Unfortunately, alphas and omegas don't have that choice. We never did. But I can truthfully say, from the bottom of my heart, that I am lucky to have my alpha. I would want no other."

"That seems _stupid_ ," Luffy muttered bitterly. "First you say you got no choice, then you say something like that - !"

"That's the life I live, and it's one you'll come to understand, Luffy," Sanji snapped at him. "Admittedly, I moped over the fact that I never had a choice – my father chose to marry me off to Law before I tested positive as an omega, and I had the hardest time accepting that bratty son of a bitch but now that he's here….I'd want no other in his place."

"But he's stupid."

" _You're_ stupid."

Sullenly, Luffy fiddled with the blanket. Then reached over and rubbed Sanji's bared feet before saying, "You're not on fire anymore, and not all crazy. This whole conversation was you talking clear to me. And you're not under any suppressants, because your eyes are the clearest I'd seen them since we were kids…and this was because of Law?"

Sanji nodded before removing his feet from Luffy's touch.

Pouting, Luffy glared at the bed. It occurred to Sanji that the suppressants must have worn off because the longer he stood there, the more clearheaded he seemed. Holding himself firmly and wearing a strong expression. For an alpha like him, suppressants weren't going to be enough.

"There are plenty of omegas out there that you have yet to meet, Luffy," Sanji then said.

"All I have to do is wait for Law to die, that's all. So…I'm not worried about it."

Frowning at him, Sanji made to retort when Luffy turned away from him. He headed for the window then paused within the center of it to look back at Sanji. "We can still be friends, right?" he asked tentatively.

"Of course. _Just_ friends."

Luffy nodded grimly, then jumped out. Sanji waited for a few moments, then looked down at the blanket he'd tucked tightly around his legs. His heart seemed to beat a little easier, and his lungs felt loose. He needed a cigarette, his blood jittery from the encounter. He felt so rotten with the situation between them. Helpless to the feeling that things couldn't go back to what they were. He rubbed at his eyes, upset and sick by the encounter.

He looked up when the door opened, seeing Law step through with a rather victorious smirk. It immediately put Sanji into a bad mood because there wasn't any sympathy there. His hands were wrapped with bandages that made his actions stiff, but Sanji had no doubt they'd be discarded, soon. Law's self-healing abilities were frustrating with their availability.

"I held myself back," Law announced, looking out of the broken window. "I knew he was here. I just wanted you to suffer with the enormity of your own choices so I could wait to tell you 'I told you so'."

Sanji rolled his eyes and glowered away from him, crossing his arms over his chest. His silence drew Law's attention his way, glass crunching underfoot as he walked over to the bed. Observing his mate's mood and behavior, Law felt a little pacified. He walked around the table to lightly examine the bandages over Sanji's lower back. Once he saw that they were discolored, he sought some new supplies from the nearby cabinets. While he changed the bandages, Sanji reflected that allowing his mate to investigate his wounds had a significantly big contrast effect to the intrusive touch of his best friend. Would it get any easier? He did think that Benn and Shanks had a rather close relationship as a claimed omega and an untethered alpha – there was hope for improvement between Sanji and Luffy.

"Well, did it make you feel better, you big crybaby?" Sanji then muttered, feeling positive as Law then cleaned up the mess left behind. "Overhearing our conversation?"

Fixing Sanji's hospital gown in place, Law frowned down at the top of his head. But with a haughty toss of his head, he said, "I had no doubt of things. He's the only threat in my life – not you."

Sanji rolled his eyes again.

With heavy reluctance, Law then added, "You're not a physical threat. Just…a mental one."

Sanji twisted slightly to look back at him, feeling that this was a positive expression.

Law refused to look at him. "You always have me stumbling in the midst of our arguments and refuse to give me any moment's peace, and…I appreciate that. I would absolutely hate it if you were…boring and submissive."

"That's as close to a compliment as I'll get from you, and I am sa-tis- _fied_ ," Sanji decided, reaching up to lightly pat his hip. He then leaned up against him, nuzzling with affection against Law's side. "Considering you also gave your opponent his time to express himself, I'd say you did a little more than growing up within these last few hours here."

"Oh, do shut up." Law tugged on his hair.

Removing his hand from his hair, Sanji kissed the back of his hand. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I hope you feel better, soon."

 _Goddamn him_ , Law thought with a heavy frown, feeling touched by the gesture. It filled him with discomfort accepting that Sanji changed from closed off and guarded against another alpha to opening up and displaying his affection to him once he was in the room. It was comparable to seeing a guarded, quiet and threatening dog change into a happy, tail wagging force of nature once its owner was sighted.

He gave an uncomfortable clearing of his throat, fiddling with the tangled strands of his mate's hair. "So…you speak of me like that whenever I'm not around? Or…was that a one-time thing…?"

Sanji blushed, lips between his teeth as he examined the tattoos on the fingers of his alpha. "I don't think I've never _not_ spoken up for you when it mattered. I talk shit all the time about what a headache you are, but I…I've admitted what you mean to me to those that should know. And I know I've told you myself. Like always, you're stubborn about believing in it."

Law had thought that with his personality Sanji could speak nothing positive. He knew he was a jerk without any positivity to his words or outlook. But it did mean something if his own mate could say these things about him without knowing Law was there to hear them. It made him feeling particularly soft inside; unexpectedly grateful and guilty for his own reactions that didn't seem to invite this outlook.

Sanji looked up at him once he realized how quiet it was, and gave a half smile. "What's this? You're suddenly all shy and embarrassed?"

"I just…never thought that anything positive could be said about me, so…"

" _Law_ ," Sanji said with insistence, turning to face him. He reached out and gripped the man's other hand – both palms were bandaged, but the visible skin of his tattooed fingers told Sanji that Law's wounds were healing very quickly. "Us guys – yeah, we talked a lot of shit about you. _A lot_. Typical boy shit that _always_ comes up. But all of us – me – them – we all were grateful for what you did. It just…comes out very little when you're doing your best to keep us below your level when we try to climb up there to meet you. You're a jerk, but you do it for a reason, and that reason is invalid here. That's what I've been trying to tell you."

Exhaling, Law weighed the heaviness of Sanji's insistence. He couldn't believe it himself – it felt foreign because he'd spent years fighting against others that wanted to hurt him. There was no positivity there on the mainland – but to think those kids he'd gathered together and slaved (protected) could speak these things of him when he couldn't hear them…it made him feel like he'd just taken a big stumble. It made sense for Luffy to want him dead but the others…?

He recalled Sabo smiling at them both from the doorway, commenting on their argument. It wasn't with any rancor – just affection.

In spite of this, Law still felt wary. He felt like there was something lingering on the edges of that positivity that made him feel as if lowering his guard was not the smart thing to do. He swallowed tightly. He could be wrong, it could only be habit – but he wondered if he'd ever be able to let down his guard.

Sanji could see him warring with himself on the matter. He pulled Law's hand up to his face, nuzzled up against the exposed tips of his fingers. He then gently pulled Law to bend to him, rubbing his nose up against his cheek with a hum. Despite himself, Law did feel comforted by the familiar expression of affection from his mate. He accepted these gestures with quiet fluster.

Once he had his attention, Sanji told Law, "I say all that but they're still morons that want to know just how strong you are. They'll keep testing you – not to kill, but just to see who has the biggest dick."

Law gave him a skeptical look as he straightened away. Sanji didn't release him.

"Remember when we were kids and we were always trying to ambush you? It's that sort of play. Shanks wasn't kidding when he'd complained of the testosterone they bring amongst themselves."

"Rough play?"

"It's only standard for alphas and men with tiny dicks needing to show off their muscle, Law. Nothing more than that. And you've taken away years from them," Sanji added on a murmur. "So show them what you got but _be gentle_. None of it is personal."

After processing this request, Law snorted. "That's something an omega would say. You can't teach with gentle encouragement, Sanji. Otherwise children grow up vulnerable and spoiled. They want to see how big my dick is, they should've just asked you," Law then said, already planning the encounters in his mind while Sanji gave him a disgusted look.

"Stay with me tonight," Sanji then ordered. "And every night after that. This allergy between us will clear up sooner than we think. We're already making good headway, you know."

"Did you want kids, Sanji?" Law then asked curiously, causing Sanji a mental stumble because he wasn't expecting that question.

"I…no…I…well…that's…"

"Because Chopper tied your tube, anyway, to allow it time to repair. So don't think that things will come to that soon. When it's time for both of us to consider the notion amicably…I could perform the required surgery."

Sanji managed to smile with relief. "That's fine with me."

: :

Late the next morning, Chopper watched as Perona finished trimming Sanji's hair. The long, ratted braid he clutched in his hands looked like a skinny rat. Without it, Sanji looked surprisingly different – Chopper was used to seeing him with wild hair and strands in his face so seeing this man with shorter hair felt, to him, as if he were seeing a brand new person.

The glass from the broken window had been swept up and removed, the window boarded over.

"What's the reason behind this?" he asked, waving a hoof at Sanji with a skeptical look. "Is this a sign of heartbreak? Because physically, everything will be fine, Sanji. It wasn't as if you were pregnant, or anything. At least, not yet. And certainly not for awhile – I tied your male uterus for its own repair and reconstruction."

"In my biological family, long hair was a sign of royalty," Sanji murmured, feeling as if his neck and shoulders were too naked. "And I grew it back because I didn't know who I was while I was here. Now I do. Something like that…"

"God, it looks so much better," Perona muttered, swiping hair from his neck and causing him to cringe. "You don't look like a homeless person who forages from underneath the tables, anymore."

"Thank you, Perona."

"Well, it makes a _big_ difference," Chopper said, still with the doubtful tone as he crossed his arms lightly over his chest. Sanji looked at him, beaming immediately at the sight of him as he stood there with his glasses in place, stethoscope around his neck and jacket weighed down with his supplies. Holding up a hoof, Chopper commanded, "You remove yourself from that table to express yourself foolishly, and I won't help you!"

"Crocus found Luffy sleeping outside of Zeff's restaurant," Chopper then said with a shake of his head. "It appears the suppressants he'd taken weren't enough. It's good that nothing problematic had occurred."

"It appears he has a new goal in mind," Sanji murmured uncomfortably. "He has someone to look up to."

"Where is your idiot alpha, anyway?"

Sanji shrugged, but he looked at the ratted braid in hand one more time. Perona picked up the trash can nearby, and indicated that he throw it in there. After some hesitation, Sanji dropped it in and took a deep breath. Chopper didn't understand why it was so significant – hair had the ability to grow back.

"Did you convince him to stay?"

"I think I did. But…it doesn't mean it'll quiet any time soon. He's got a platform to defend."

"Nothing that will affect the island, I hope."

"I think they'll be fine…but they will be commandeering a ship to investigate the wreckage from yesterday."

"I _know_ ," Shanks said from the doorway, looking annoyed as he startled them with his sudden presence. He used his hand to block Chopper from his line of vision, the monster looking at him with a severe frown. "I heard the news already. Is the wreckage that important?"

"They'd found the bones of one of our guardians," Sanji told him. "Brook."

He looked to Perona to see if she'd react, but she wore an expression that clearly bespoke of her fascination and not of any familiarity.

"Ah, this Brook you guys spoke of," Shanks remembered, lighting up. "So, what, was he…er, _alive_?"

"No. His bones were sealed away in a box."

"So…dead."

"I suppose. But considering how many years he had been living as the dead, what finally killed him? It might also explain the disappearance of Corazon."

Shanks frowned slightly, then nodded to recognize the name. Sanji watched him for any indication of any knowledge pertaining to Corazon but as he had for the years they were living here, Shanks gave him nothing more.

"Law thinks Doflamingo caught up to him…and killed him. He'd also suspected that Cora was Doffy's omega."

"To control and contain the opportunity, colonies held nothing back on such relations," Shanks murmured. "If it meant coveting alphas and omegas to breed, then family relations it was."

Sanji found himself wondering, for the countless time, if he were the result of this incestual relation. He was too apprehensive to speak up on it. Within his faded memories of his youth, he could not recall thinking that his mother looked anywhere near like his father, or if any of them had suffered bad genetics. He did wonder what had happened with the remaining members of his family.

"It's shocking but not surprising," Shanks continued, noticing Sanji's shamed aversion of his eyes. "I knew he was – to defy his alpha by requesting from us what he had took immense strength for his own independence. I respected him for that."

"So it _was_ true…"

"You were probably too young to recognize another omega, Sanji. We can identify each other on a crowded street. I wasn't going to say anything about it because the stigma isn't quite accepted in these times. Royalty was royalty because they thought nothing of the consequences. But if it hasn't been confirmed, then don't think that Corazon is that easily killed. Perhaps he sought another opportunity and distanced himself as you two did."

"But bonded alphas and omegas can track each other. Law watched Doffy fall into a maddened state, so it was to his assumption that Cora was gone, killed at Doffy's hands for hiding us away," Sanji reported, looking at his nails before reaching up and covering the back of his newly bared neck with one hand.

Shanks frowned fitfully, Chopper allowing them to speak between each other while Perona listened with fascination. Shanks glanced at her, but Perona clearly had no idea whom they were speaking of. Her cat collar rung slightly with her movements as she cleaned her scissors and deposited them into a carrying case.

"If he did," Shanks said slowly, "then it was to give you guys a chance. A lot of stuff on the mainland…its rules are kill or be killed, sacrifice or be sacrificed. Knowing where you came from should definitely allow you the chance to be that positive role model for kids that can't think beyond that. I understand that eventually all of you go back, but do it only when you can be strong together."

Sanji understood what Shanks was saying. He nodded in agreement.

"So, what are you going to do with these bones once you find them?" Shanks then asked curiously, lowering his hand. But once he saw Chopper he strode right for him, bending to sweep him up and cradle. Chopper wasn't ready, so when he was scooped up and whirled about, he lost his stethoscope and glasses, pens scattering all around them. " _Look at you_! So dignified and smart! Your dainty little jacket sends me into conniption fits! I can't stand it, I think I'm having a heart attack!"

" _Moron_!" Chopper cried indignantly, feeling dizzy once Shanks stopped twirling. Both of them had to steady themselves while Perona rolled her eyes and strode out from the room without looking back.

"Sabo suggested that someone in forensics find out," Sanji said uncomfortably, rubbing at the back of his neck.

Shanks carefully put Chopper down onto the floor. "I don't know if we have anyone here that's taught in that field. There are no crimes that require forensics, here. We have doctors."

"I wonder if Law can assimilate into a body, or the remains of one."

" _Ugh_. But interesting."

"You're not cleared for anything physical for at least a _week_ , Sanji," Chopper then warned, finding his glasses and pushing them on. He turned to give the omega a strict expression. "If this is something they want to do, then let them do it on their own. You stay here. If you don't, if you don't let that sack repair, you could be infertile for the rest of your life."

The concept caused Sanji some inner distress. That was his role in life – his reason for existence. If he couldn't procreate, then what was he living for…? Admittedly, he knew it was eventual but it wasn't something he'd considered any time soon. Now that he had a choice, now that he was out of danger of having children as a child, it felt like something he could rely on when they were ready to do so.

"Don't wait too long," Shanks said before turning away and leaving the room. Since it felt like he'd read Sanji's thoughts, Sanji wondered what had happened to him to be childless himself.

: :

Mihawk glared down at the group of men that were released from the retention center. All of them were moving sluggishly, letting loose with yawns and sleepy curses as the bright sun hit them full force. But he could see how they reacted to the sounds of children's voices in the air, the birds chirping noisily with busy joy, and how light the mood felt on the island streets. They all looked as if they'd left a war zone – with near starved features, shadowed eyes and somewhat dull glints in their teeth. They were happy, strong men when they'd left the island – but had returned with obvious hurt in their features. Mihawk had fondness for them; which only made his spine that much straighter.

Once they caught sight of him, none reacted with anything other than recognition.

"Despite a few inches, it appears that none of you have changed all that much," Mihawk murmured thoughtfully. He then wore an expression of disapproval. "I'd expected _men_ , not glorified teenagers..."

" _Hey_!" Ussop said indignantly, hands on his hips. "We _are_ men! We're just wearing the wrong thing."

Ace patted his stomach. "Want to see something real cool, old man?"

"I've modified myself to be a little bit bigger in order to compensate for the adventures we underwent," Franky said with insult.

Zoro sniffed and clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth. "Real men don't have to show off just how intimidating they truly are – they radiate it from within when it matters."

Sabo looked apologetic, picking at his hair. "Sorry."

" _Pathetic_. When I look at you, I think – how convenient. A younger morsel to help me cross a crowded street," Mihawk continued, descending the stone steps from the park to stand before them in the front walkway of the center. All of them looked up at him as if he were joking. "But I don't. Right now, I expect to see you all in high school before the third period bell rings. I expect to see you with wrapped bentos and saucy shoes, eager to learn. To see you play pretend is rather irritating to my eyes. _Apologize_ to my eyes."

All of them looked at each other, and then at him. " _Sorry_ ," they all chimed in with confused effort.

"It's been quite some time. And all I saw was the lot of you being spanked by an alpha who voluntarily wears an undercut," Mihawk said with disgust, causing faces to erupt with miserable insult. "…Who carries a ridiculously big sword."

Zoro's eyes snaked to the one Mihawk wore on his back, but wisely chose not to say anything.

"Who wears heeled boots to force himself taller than he actually is."

Ussop struggled not to look at Mihawk's leather boots as they clicked over the pavement with shiny, metal heels.

"Who wears double huggie earrings because, apparently, one pair wasn't enough."

Franky's eyes darted to Zoro's one ear while the swordsman scowled to the right, and Sabo winced as he couldn't stop himself from taking in Mihawk's fashionably feathered hat and opened shirt that revealed glittering silver jewelry. Ace struggled to keep his eyes open but it was a losing battle.

"It was _embarrassing_ to see many men fall under the hands of a man that chose his own weakness as his battlefield in order to teach you lot a lesson," Mihawk continued bitterly. "And win in front of my own omega, who will never let me forget what I agreed to do on your behalf."

"Well, wait a minute - !" Ace started when Mihawk pierced him with a warning look. Ace snapped his mouth shut while Ussop twirled his hair, struggling not to make eye contact with anyone.

"And _now_ it has been requested that you borrow a ship to retrieve something that you think is better than gold or energy cubes that could potentially benefit the island as a whole? Not only does your physical appearance fail me, your selfishness knows no bounds."

"When are we allowed to speak?" Zoro asked.

"When I am dead," Mihawk retorted shortly. Crossing his arms, he glared at every one of them. They averted their eyes into different directions to avoid meeting his. "I thought we were a team."

"Well – " Sabo began when Mihawk glanced in his direction, forcing his mouth shut.

"A _winning_ team. A _strong_ team of men capable of felling a single building and allowing multiple ladies to fall in love with us at first sight."

" _But_ …never mind," Franky mumbled, fiddling nervously with the collar of his open shirt.

"And you all let a new alpha in to attempt a coup to lead the pack. The omegas are winning. How embarrassing."

All of them gave Mihawk confused looks while he looked disgusted.

"The omegas are a soft breed. They think with their hearts and not their might. And an omega broke the battle before an alpha could complete it. Therefore, the blame lies all on _your_ shoulders for allowing it to happen. Tell me, did you think about all the mistakes you've made yesterday? Because I can attest to the fact that _he's_ been thinking about it and has planned on embarrassing us all _again_."

Sabo frowned at him. "But he's not even a threat."

"But he's _competition_ ," Ace murmured, clenching a fist. "Mihawk is right. He's a sissy with an undercut."

"And badly matching clothing patterns," Ussop hissed.

"With a…ridiculously long sword," Zoro mumbled uncomfortably, embarrassed to fit in.

"With…an emo attitude?" Franky contributed with a shrug. " _Total_ emo. Those eye shadows are ridiculous. And the matching goatee? Overkill."

Mihawk looked from one man to the other, making them squirm. Once he was certain they all felt a degree of shame, he nodded.

Before he could add to it, Shanks appeared at his left, snarling. "What is going on, here? Is this some sort of group meeting? What are you doing? You were supposed to be doing something, and this wasn't it, Mihawk!"

Twitching, Mihawk managed to tear his gaze away from the group to look at him with concern. "How are you still standing?"

Reddening, Shanks pushed him aside and looked at the others. "There is _no_ fighting to be had on the island to determine dick size. Is that clear? You requested a boat to retrieve Brook's bones, and it is to Law's interest for the group of you that this can be provided. You'll cooperate _as a group_ to retrieve that box, and Luffy has already changed his mind to cooperate nicely in order to control his alpha urges. All parties are standing down in relation to each other – _no one_ is to make a bad example of themselves in front of all these impressionable children who have left war and death themselves just to see some stupid dudes fighting each other! _Is that clear_?"

"Yes," the group mumbled while Mihawk looked insulted.

Shanks gave him a withering look, then indicated that the group continue on their way.

Once they began moving, Mihawk frowned at him. "Why are you undermining me?"

"Because you're _stupid_ , that's why. I heard your dumb ass speech. You're such an old man, wishing for the glory days of your youth," Shanks muttered with embarrassment. "Honestly, the alpha standard for strength and manliness is something I _refuse_ to understand."

"There is nothing wrong with showing off one's might in order to create a fashionable impression of intimidation," Mihawk insisted smoothly. "I only wanted to aspire these downtrodden men. My speech was motivating, and I'd hoped it'd lift their heads after being cooped up in jail overnight after nearly a month at sea and fleeing hazardous mainland territory. Who is the unreasonable one, here?"

Shanks frowned at him, eyebrows furrowed with both concern and confusion.

Seeing that he'd won, Mihawk leaned over and kissed his cheek. Then he walked off, yawning. "Stop creating an unnecessary mess, dear. Give yourself a break and trust in good men. You're overthinking the situation. Nothing is as big as it seems."

"He tells me that after instigating things?" Shanks mumbled to himself, clearly confused.


	22. Chapter 22

**: : Twenty Two**

* * *

The next day, the group, after settling into their apartments that were maintained by trusted friends that welcomed them warmly back to the island, meandered down to the docks. They were cleaned, groomed and dressed for the island's sunny weather – wearing brilliant prints and linen clothing and weathered shoes that still fit. Hair had been trimmed and brushed and outfits arranged to show off hard won assets.

Despite their growth, Law thought that they still spoke and behaved like the kids they were when they were separated. He watched them from the cover of a nearby tool shed as they talked grandly about their task and how things had changed on the island since they were gone. They were a brilliantly sparkling pack – full of cheer and rambunctious attitudes that drew positive attention from those around them. They were the kids that were allowed to grow up.

Their chosen outfits showed off muscle, scars and body parts they were most proud of –they already had a gaggle of admirers following after them. Youthful, hopeful women and children whose eyes glittered as they listened to Ussop's bragging tales; boys were in awe of Zoro's swords and Franky's mechanical parts; women who blushed and preened as Ace gave them attention and smaller children that attached themselves to Sabo's legs, gleefully demanding treasure he was surely hiding underneath his hat.

Law watched the pack interact within the clamor of their admirers – he felt slightly envious. He'd grown up much differently from them. He felt furious at the very concept, and had to talk himself out of the white hot explosion of feeling – sure that it were only agitation caused by lack of sleep from the few days previous. But he was already noting the physical limitations they displayed, reviewed their efforts from the day previous – he was ready to go should they attack.

He wished they would. He felt aggressive enough to take them on all over again. He exhaled shortly, feeling pent up and angry about it. His skin was prickling with uneasiness and anger, and nothing seemed to deviate his thoughts away from it. Thinking of Sanji just made him feel more aggressive.

He looked at his hands, noting that they were completely healed. Rubbing them absently, he looked up to see that Nami arrived. She was wearing fashionable layers upon layers of chiffon and linen that seemed unrealistic with the conditions, the young pack of men shifting rambunctious attitude to whistling appreciation and shy comments. The dress was asymmetrical with a long train that danced around her heels, impractical with seafaring actions. The fabric showed off her maturing chest but didn't allow them a peek. She looked like she'd struggled and failed to look uncaring about her appearance but also capturing attention anyway. She at least wore boots to help grip her steps on the boat.

"Listen up, idiots," she announced, waving a rolled map in her hand as she adjusted her fanny pack with the other. She wore a tense expression, jaw twitching as she looked from one to the other. She looked troubled just standing there, but she bravely held her head up high. "I've already mapped out a route according with the currents in that area. I hope you all prepared for a long day of searching, because Sanji won't be here to help us."

"Why would he be here?" Zoro scoffed. "Just because he can hold his breath for a minute or two?"

"Or ten or twelve," Nami returned. "I thought you did something for that scar, Zoro."

The swordsman blinked, then looked down at the scar on his chest that was only visible when his shirt collar flapped open. He touched it then looked at her with confusion. "Why would I hide this?"

"I meant the butt hurt scar you continue to nurse every time Sanji does something better than you."

"… _WHAT_? There's no such scar, you _jerk_!"

"Nami, Nami," Ace chimed, striding in front of Zoro to capture Nami's attention. With a wave of his hand, he indicated for her to take his obviously flexing arm. He was shirtless, but there was a bunch of material hanging from his left back pocket, which suggested it was a shirt. "Let me guide you to the boat, help you in. Surely you'd need a bit of assistance from a sharply dressed man such as myself."

Nami gave him a flat look then looked to the dock. " _Where_ are you going to escort me? Into the water? Am I suddenly without my legs or brain? I can help myself."

"Well, I mean, when it gets here."

" _Sharp_?" Ussop whispered with judgement as Ace scowled. "You're not even wearing a _shirt_."

"Another point I was going to make, _thank you_ Ussop," Nami then said. "Anyway, before I was interrupted, we're going to go out there, retrieve the box and return here by 6 pm sharp. I swear to you all right now, on this sacred ground, that if we end up in other places other than what I've just indicated, I will be pissed. This dress wasn't meant to be out on the sea for that long."

"Then why are you _wearing_ it?" Zoro asked her impatiently, deliberately stepping onto the frilly train with his boot and causing her to whirl and slap him on the shoulder.

"Because it makes me feel pretty!"

"'Pretty' doesn't belong on the sea. Only men do."

"Then why did they allow a man like you out there with that nipple baring shirt?"

Zoro hastily looked down at himself, slapping at his collar closed while Nami stared at him with disdain.

"It makes sense that you think ahead," Sabo interrupted hastily, fiddling with his fingers as he inserted himself between them. "We can get…horribly, _horribly_ distracted from our original tasks."

"Yes, yes, I know," Nami muttered, reaching up to nervously touch her hair. It appeared she was taking deep, even breaths, ignored by the chatty men as they rambunctiously continued speaking amongst themselves.

The fishing vessel that Penguin navigated in bumped up against the docks, with Shachi hopping out to tie it in. Once the group began saying their goodbyes to their fan club, Law pushed away from the tool shed and strode up to join them. Despite the weather, he still wore long sleeves underneath a duster-type vest with a furred hood, boots rearing no mercy to the pavement he walked over. His sword was gripped tight at his shoulder. Nami caught sight of him and seemed relieved, drawing his attention her way as the group continued on, not noticing his appearance.

"That outfit screamed 'victim' before you even opened your mouth," Law told her, causing her to flutter her heavy eyelashes.

"Well, if it isn't super gay alpha here to disperse the sex hungry maniacs to their dark corners of the room," she retorted airily. "My _hero_ …"

"I'm only here to do one thing, and that ain't you."

" _Thank god_ , because I already heard about your terrible technique. I feel pity for your dear, sweet husband," she returned, waving at Penguin and Shachi brilliantly once Law looked at her with alarm.

The kids quickly scattered once they recognized their teacher, fleeing in relative fright while others looked on with some confusion. Franky noticed this and turned to see Law standing there with Nami, his quick turnaround catching the attention of the others. Immediately, everyone drew out their weapons and took on defensive stances.

"It doesn't matter what you do now," Law told them airily, hand in his duster pocket as he gripped his sword with the other, walking towards them. Nami trailed after him, her whole countenance changed from earlier conversation. "I already won, and the first battle matters. After that, it's just petty revenge shit because you all felt bad for being losers."

" _You cheated_!"

"You clearly fought dirty!"

"We weren't even fighting a man that day, we were fighting a dirty handed loser who isn't even prepared to carry himself as a man!"

"…What he said."

"Admittedly, we could've done better..."

"I'm interested in these bones," Law continued over their indignant voices. "That's all I'm here for and nothing more. Once they are located, I will then investigate for myself what I can to determine Brook's death. I will do nothing else for you."

"We're not asking you to do this, Law," Ace pointed out angrily. "We brought these bones out for _Sanji_ to look at – where's Luffy, by the way?"

"It's not up to me to care about Luffy. And by allowing Sanji to look at them, you mean me," Law clarified. "Because anything belonging to him now belongs to me. This is what ownership passage means, in case you aren't familiar with it."

Nami slapped the back of his head with the rolled up map then looked at the others impatiently as he glowered at her, fixing his hair back into place. " _Of course_ we'd all want to know about this wonderful person you boys often described, so his history belongs to all of us. Frankly, if you thought to bring Brook's bones to Sanji if Law weren't here, what in the hell did you think was going to happen? He'd char them to charcoal upon contact, and the mystery would be lost forever."

All of them stared back at her with blank expressions, then looked at each other. Law held his jaw to one side, shaking his head ever so slightly at their recognizance of the fact.

"Thankfully, Law is here, so _Law_ will be the one to investigate. After all, he's the head brain and can think more than two sentences per minute. So let's depend on him," Nami finished, clapping her hands. Shachi helped her onto the boat while Ace looked after the action with dismay. The others looked insulted that she'd openly called them out on their intentions, still wearing heavy expressions.

Law clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth as he gave them all individual looks of reproach. "All of you are dim-witted _virgins_. Give the woman space from your disgusting nose hairs and sharp body odors. I realize you don't know what to do with one, but crowding women like her who wear their clothing like armor should have already suggested to you that she isn't comfortable around apes. Get a damn clue."

Those expressions shifted to slow realization, eyes glancing at each other with apologetic recognizance of Nami's fears. Ace reached back to his back pocket to pull out that material and self-consciously pulled on a t-shirt with the arms cut out. Sabo looked at Law with a slow drawing smile. Franky looked abashed, hand to his braided hair.

" _Wow_ ," he muttered.

"Sorry, we kinda forgot about that," Ace mumbled with apology. "It's just been awhile and she never said anything about us making her uncomfortable, so…I guess it would make sense…"

"She's definitely safe from me," Zoro said with reassurance. "She's like a wasp with a stinger in your ear drum."

"It's good that you're so perceptive," Ussop mumbled with some awe.

Ace then gave a start, then growled. "Just because you're older than us doesn't give you the right to throw around shitty orders like we're gonna follow them! All of us are equal here, and we don't listen to no man that thinks he's better than us."

"I don't _think_ that, Ace," Law chided gently, tone incredibly mocking. "I know it. _You_ know it. Anyone with a brain knows that I'm better than you are. There is no thought necessary about it."

Ace clenched his teeth and fists as Law then turned and boarded the boat, Ussop hurrying ahead of Zoro to beat him for the best position on deck. Sabo chuckled.

"I feel like we were just transported back in time," he said lightly, following after the others.

"That guy still makes me so _mad_! I'll kick his damn ass! What is his problem, talking to me like I'm some little kid?" Ace snarled, stomping towards the boat as Franky followed after him. "Don't think that I won't hold back just because he's a few inches taller and a helluva lot older. I'll destroy him like a damn mosquito!"

"Okay, _okay_ ," Franky murmured, helping Shachi remove the heavy ropes from the heavy posts.

Once the boat set off, Nami confidently directing them back to the battle arena, the day seemed to pass by with relative ease. There was a gentle breeze that helped alleviate the heat radiating off the ocean surface, and through the sky was spotted with thick clouds, it seemed that a storm would avoid their area. Sea gulls cried overhead, looking for opportunities while pelicans watched them suspiciously. Fish fluttered over the water in colorful jumps, and only the group's voices carried over the gentle waves around them. It took a few hours, but Nami located the wreckage of the boat. It had been carried five miles away from the area to the northwest, and Zoro and Ussop attempted to dive the distance needed to reach it. Neither of them could, popping up from the waves with deep inhales and failed attitudes.

Nami noticed Law's trembling hands as he clenched his sword. She lifted an eyebrow as the group complained amongst each other about being failed "sea men".

" _Withdrawal_ symptoms?" she asked low.

"Shaddup," Law grumbled.

Nami studied him from the corner of her eye, then said, "Are you in some type of rut?"

"You're just starting shit because you're nervous about this enclosed space."

"It is, isn't it? Don't you have to take suppressants for that?" Nami asked curiously, lowering her voice so the others wouldn't hear the conversation. "Sanji's been without his mate for quite some time, so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be seeing, here. I know he goes into heat to attract his mate but if you guys are still in the process of establishing yourselves, it would make more sense if you were guys were still unstable and out of alignment with each other. He's in heat this week, you're… _that_ next…when does it start to align?"

Law frowned, glaring off at the water. _Of course_ , he thought in response to his surging pheromones that felt out of line with the moment. His body wasn't aware of what his brain did – his mate could not mate for some time, but his body was ready to do so anyway. He'd only thought he was feeling aggressive and antsy because of the group – because of Luffy's appearance. Now it made sense and it angrily had to tell his body that it was currently impossible.

"Only time will tell, I suppose," Nami then answered herself, since Law wasn't going to respond to it. "But now you can't do a thing about it, can you? He's still in the hospital for something Mihawk did."

"I'm trying to concentrate here – "

"I'm _asking_ these things because I think it's important to understand what everyone is going through! _If_ I do decide to leave the island with the rest of you, I want to understand who I'm safe with, and who is safe around me," Nami stressed, keeping her voice lowered as she argued.

He glanced at her. "Who says you're going with us?"

"In the event that I tag along with Luffy and the others, it would make sense that I understand the alpha and omega thing well enough to keep track of him. You think these morons here will sit still and listen to a lecture?"

Law glanced at them. Currently, two of them were standing at the back, pissing into the waves – competing to see who peed the furthest. The others were judges. Taking note of this, the pair of them and Penguin and Shachi looked startled. Law looked at Nami, whose face displayed the most violent of revulsion.

"Alphas fall into ruts because it's essential they reproduce. It's not necessarily heart and feeling, so any omega will do," Law explained tightly. "It's just for reproduction purposes. _Bonded_ alphas only feel surging feelings for their omegas in that they want to reproduce with those individuals _only_. It's also a form of critical bonding. So of course, in this state, at this time, _of course_ I'd experience it in order to want to bond further with…my mate. I hadn't realized that I was in this state because those…idiots…had occupied my thoughts, so it perhaps influences too much of my purposes here today.."

"Which _means_ ," Penguin interrupted gently from the side, startling Nami into taking a careful step away from him, "we can abandon The Plan, right? Since you've finally recognized that your plot to dump these guys into the ocean is only a condition of your rut? I've been waiting for you to acknowledge it yourself, because you get offended if either of us bring it up. Thanks, Nami."

Nami looked at Law with surprise, and Law wore a grim, guilty expression. In response, he managed a slow nod.

"Abandon the thought of killing the agitating alpha's friends in order to quell his aggressive team tactics," Law murmured thoughtfully. "But please do leave it on the To-Do List for a later date."

Penguin gave his friend an impatient look while Law cleared his throat and avoided Nami's expression. Law made an indicative motion to Penguin, who tossed him what looked like a bolt from the cabin. Law examined the item, then caught Franky's attention. Franky caught it with a puzzled expression as Law then looked to Zoro as he caught his breath, seating himself on the deck. "You train to match Mihawk, right?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Then you're capable of parting water like Moses…or is this something you only aspire to do?"

Zoro snorted, giving him a dirty look. But he rose to his feet anyway. "There's no way I can do it at this angle, considering the distance between surface and sea ground. A straight line from very high up would be suitable."

"If you're capable, shift the water _that_ way away from us. You, pervert, toss that thing as high as you can with those puny arms of yours."

Franky gave the others a distrustful look, looking for their guidance. After some consideration, Ace gave him a reluctant thumbs-up. Franky then threw the bolt up into the sky. Zoro had just grabbed his swords with a low mimicry of Law's order when Law exchanged him with the bolt. Zoro had no choice but to act. He managed to part the water away from them, causing the others distress as the boat threatened to fall into the crevice he'd made. But Law caught sight of the wreckage down below, furrowing his brow with concentration. With how high and violent of the water parting, he had just enough time to transfer Sabo with a piece of the wreckage's parts, allowing the man to hastily scramble through the debris to locate the heavy box.

He pounded upon it with victory, then looked at the incoming water walls with agitation. Law transferred that box with some rope then Sabo with some netting piled on the deck. The waters forced them away from the area with violent shoving, and Zoro shouted aloud with dismay once he realized he wasn't being given any consideration. He slammed into the waters with a hard splash as everyone looked down at the box with awe and renewed curiosity. As the area began to calm itself with the water dispersement, Franky crouched down next to it, revealing a torch within one of his fingers to break the temporary lock he'd installed after they'd opened it the first time.

Ace crossed his arms stubbornly. " _Zoro_ did all the work," he muttered to himself.

Once Franky opened the box, the bones of Brook were revealed. Sure enough he was wearing the same outfit he had that night he disappeared. Law crouched low next to it, in awe of the skeleton's condition. He expected the undead to pop up with his loud laughter and a joke about his condition, but the skeleton was unmoving. He couldn't help but wear an expression of astonishment, amazed that Brook was both in front of him and yet utterly "dead". Nami wasn't sure what she was looking at, but there were expressions of fond affection from some men and confused frowns from those that never knew Brook.

Law visually examined the body, hesitant to touch him. He just _expected_ Brook to move because the skeleton had moved so animatedly before. He kept waiting to hear his voice. He noticed then that Brook's arms were broken and forced to fit the width of his containment – folded in half with his legs behind him. His bones were in excellent shape, without chip or visible wear and tear on them to indicate any aging. He could repair them easily if he had to.

With a deep breath, Law attempted to assimilate into the skeleton – but it was apparent that he couldn't latch onto a life. Without obvious skin and body damage, Law wasn't sure how Brook had 'died'. The skeleton's clothes gave him no indication, either. He heard the others talking over his head about how they'd chanced the road side shelter and took a chance on the box. Their inane chatter interrupted his examination.

He then exploded with anger, every part of him laced with agitation at the others. "Give me some fucking space! All of you are breathing in my fucking air and taking up all my shitty space! _Back up_!"

All of them looked at him with surprise. But they considered his red face and bulging neck veins, the almost unhinged expression in his eyes and took a couple of steps back from him, allowing him space. Law realized he was acting abnormally, but refused to apologize for it. He went back to glaring at Brook's bones.

Shachi whispered low to Sabo, "Rut."

"Ah, that period mood," Ace whispered back with understanding while Sabo flinched.

Law struggled to ignore the conversation, and rubbed his goatee with thought. It was a mighty effort to resist showing his dominance against the others – simply because they were annoying him with their breathing sounds, but he finally mustered up enough courage to rummage through the skeleton's pockets. He found a single pink feather and a pink collar in Brook's back pocket, holding them up with a heavy feeling. But he'd also found Corazon's lighter. He gave that some attention, feeling frozen for a space of seconds before remembering where he was. He tucked that into his pocket without saying anything at all.

"Part of the mystery solved," he said, examining the dingy pink feather. He'd already had the thought that Doflamingo was behind it, but to have it confirmed meant something else entirely.

"Doflamingo," Ace said with a deep frown. "That was the guy that was doin' all the chasing, huh?"

"All the stories were true…?" Ussop whispered with uncertainty.

"Sounds like a real bad dude," Franky muttered with a bitter expression.

Zoro made his way onto the ship, breathing heavily and angrily. Despite herself, Nami glanced back at him with mirth. But she tossed him a blanket to dry off with.

Law then looked at the collar. Amidst the fond memories he had of Brook, the one that happened to stand out the most was meeting him that first night; when he thought Perona was a taxidermy project. He realized that it was the collar she'd been wearing that night – minus the bell. _That_ was attached to the one she was currently wearing now.

He rose with a start, sure that what he was thinking was only a product of desperation, but it was all he had for the moment. "Who knew Perona the longest, here?" he asked, looking at the others.

"We met her a few months after we arrived here," Sabo reported with a puzzled expression, Ace shushing Zoro before the swordsman could complain about his treatment.

"So she was already here?"

"No, one of the guys at the dock found her. She'd stowed away on the ship. She didn't actually start talking to us until a month later, after Mihawk claimed her. She had no memory of us."

" _He's_ the one that gave her her current collar."

Puzzled, Sabo only nodded to confirm this, uncertain of what Law was leading to.

"What's your mega brain cooking up?" Ace asked Law suspiciously, trying not to look confused while the others found themselves unable to help themselves.

"At the time we met them, Perona was wearing _this_ collar," Law said, noticing that it hadn't been removed by the latch – it was frayed near it, suggesting it had been pulled off violently. "Why would Brook remove this collar? But Perona seems to only change form when she's claimed – so would it make sense if, once she was claimed by a different owner, that she would begin to create different memories without memory of the last. Cats have nine lives, so how many has she lost so far?"

"That's not human," Nami said with uncertainty. "She's a monster."

"I wonder what allowed you to reach that _duh_ conclusion?" Zoro mumbled, causing her to snarl at him.

"I'm just thinking out loud, creep!"

"Not all monsters are scary. Chopper is a monster and he's – " Law quickly managed to cut himself off in time to express his true feelings of the omega doctor, covering his mouth with one hand while the others stared at him with some bewilderment to the gesture. Once he composed himself, Law said slowly, "Perona is a monster that can shape shift. That's her ability as a monster. Brook had this on him for a reason. If it can be repaired and if she can be convinced to wear it again, would she remember her life back then?"

"That's a real hard question to answer," Franky stated.

"We'd find out what truly happened to Cora."

"Why is this important?" Ace then asked sullenly. "He gave us life to allow us to live. That's just what it is."

"Obviously. But some things need to be put to rest right. What if Cora was still alive somewhere? Waiting for us to find him?"

Ace pierced Law with an accusatory glare. "Then wouldn't _you_ know since _you_ were Doffy's minion all these years?"

"Ace, that's not fair," Sabo whispered with outrage, giving his younger brother a frown. Ace realized that it wasn't, and looked away with some reconsideration.

Law looked at them with exasperation, then decided not to give it any weight. He clutched the collar firmly within his hand before pushing that deep into his pants pocket. He looked down to Brook with a frown. "Maybe it'll revive this one, too."

"After all, it would make sense that we could," Sabo said quickly. "Brook doesn't remember why he was allowed to live after being bitten. Normal zombies don't thrive this long – they die without sustenance after weeks. He's been alive for…well, years. Many of them. If he and Perona are connected in some way, it'd really help us all out."

"I mean, not to sound like an ass," Zoro then spoke up, hand raised clumsily, "but what does it matter? People die out there on the mainland without explanation, so what's the deal with this? What makes them special?"

"Living. Skel. _Le_. _Ton_ ," Ace stressed, giving him a look of exasperation. "Brook was a living, breathing _skeleton_ that didn't feel pain! He was alive, Zoro, what part of this doesn't make any sense to you?"

"I mean…I guess that's important…"

"Our meeting was brief," Sabo said quickly, "but it was a great impression. He was a wonderful man. It'd put to rest some lingering thoughts we had on the matter once we're able to lay him to rest."

"And I take it this is personal for you," Franky asked Law. "Because Sanji spoke about another guy that was with Brook that was affiliated with both of you. But it was _your_ family he married into."

Law glanced at him with irritation, then walked away to get some space from them. In the uncomfortable silence that followed, they all glanced at each other with troubled expressions.

Ace shook his head. " _Rude_!"

: :

Mihawk was outraged when the group popped up suddenly in the home he shared with Shanks – they were followed by the kids and women that had seen them off from the docks, so the walkway and porch were crowded with excited voices and curious faces. They were all interrupting his late afternoon nap.

Perona's tail flicked as her eyes narrowed with warning once the noisy group of men carried the heavy box through the doors that Nami opened to allow them space to maneuver.

"What are you doing, tracking mud into my home?" Mihawk grumbled, rubbing self-consciously at the lines embedded in his cheek from the pillow impression. "Do you know how long it takes Lucky Roo to sweep and mop this entire area clean?"

"Come here, kitty kitty kitty," Ussop cajoled Perona, who hissed at him from her position near Mihawk's preferred napping couch.

Once he saw that they were packing in mysterious bones that had kids marveling over it, Mihawk reached for the bottle of wine nearby. Pulling the cork, he murmured, "If Shanks knows I'm in the house, he's going to tack on more days to my prison sentence. Why are you dragging a dead body back to the scene of the crime? Not that such a crime happened here, I'm just asking…"

"This is Brook," Nami stated breathlessly. "And we might've figured out a major clue in the case. All we need is Perona."

"My baby girl? Explain," Mihawk then ordered of Zoro. He then noticed that the swordsman was wet, frowning down at the puddle slowly collecting at his booted feet.

"I dunno. I think they want to exchange collars with her," Zoro said flippantly.

Perona changed forms, looking puzzled as Ussop lurched away from her. " _Why_?" she asked with bewilderment, touching the one at her throat. Law noticed that with her hands fluttering around her gothic clothing that the shape and color of her accessories and clothing reflected as different patterns in cat form. He hadn't paid that much attention to her, and now he was regretting it because perhaps there would have been a clue much earlier for him to focus upon.

Admittedly, though, his arrival to the island was only for one person only. Perhaps now that he was settling down with Sanji, his eyes and mind were open for other things. It felt like a startling thought to suddenly notice that the ever present storm clouds that had clouded his sky were opening up.

"What's wrong with this one?" Perona was asking while Law reflected on his inner turmoil.

"What happens when you take that off?" Nami asked her curiously. "I've never seen you without it, come to think of it…"

"It's _mine_. The old turd gave it to me," Perona answered. "I wear it so I don't appear as a stray cat. I _belong_ to someone."

Nami watched her for some added expression regarding her collar, but Perona looked as if she truly stood by her statement. The thought that Perona had no idea what she was capable of regarding her memory with different collars was a stretch.

"That bell," Law pointed out, catching their attention. "That's the same one she wore with us."

"She'd puked it out one day," Mihawk commented, much to Perona's disgust and the others' fascination. "As a cat, she's always nibbling on things she shouldn't. It's amazing what we find after she's done cleaning herself…"

"So _gross._ You should be ashamed of yourself," Zoro whispered to Perona, wearing a shocked expression while she reddened.

"How could you talk about these things in front of _strangers_?" she cried towards Mihawk, who looked startled.

"Yeah, _dad_ ," Zoro stressed, crossing his arms firmly. "Is embarrassing the both of us your main goal in life?"

"It's one of them," Mihawk admitted. "But I don't know I'm doing it until it's too late and my audience is already enjoying what I've given them. Forgive me, I love you both equally, I swear."

"Ugh, you're so _annoying_!" Perona shrilled while Zoro looked disgusted at Mihawk's declaration.

"Of course, I was fully intending on throwing the thing away but Shanks remarked at the time that it was still very shiny, with her initials labeled on the inside. As an omega," Mihawk then stressed towards the others with some haughty childishness, "he wants to save _every_ thing for sentimental reasons. Maybe this reason today was actually helpful if it yields a bigger clue into your personal mysteries."

"Perona will remember us!" Ace said, slinging an arm around her shoulders and grinning at her. "I definitely remember the way you called me 'small' and putrid and asked why my hair was longer _down there_ than it was atop of my head. You _pervert_ …"

Perona slapped him away from her, causing spit to fly before looking impatiently at the others. "That story surely didn't happen, because kids are not my thing!"

"Pretty sure she was only teasing you for those bushy haired legs you have, Ace, because none of us were growing any lawn down there when we knew her," Sabo whispered as Ace rubbed his cheek with a hurt look.

"Sabo, you're _ruining_ everything."

"You guys are _crazy_. I don't even remember you from whatever nonsense you're talking about!" Perona then exclaimed, shielding the shiny object with one hand and nervously pulling towards Mihawk's side. "You keep talking about that time, and I keep telling you, I don't know anything about it!"

"If we switch collars, there's a chance that you might," Sabo said, holding up the repaired collar. Ussop had sewn it properly together with thread pulled from his sewing kit that he carried for "just in case" situations. Perona looked at it, then wrinkled her nose while Mihawk grew interested in the matter. The kids that had accompanied the group were now inviting themselves to marvel over the home's modern and spacey arrangement – wandering off in pairs.

Noticing the box's contents, Perona and Mihawk ventured close to investigate for themselves. She once again wrinkled her nose while Mihawk sipped at his wine, looking lost.

"Are you suggesting," he then said to Law, "that if we switch her collars, she'd regain her lost memory?"

"Why would Brook deliberately tuck it away?" Law responded. "As odd as these events are, they'll never be as odd as nature dictating that only certain pairs of modified human beings could have kids."

Mihawk had to shrug and agree with that. He looked to Perona. "Be brave for poppa and just try to go along with their little experiment."

"Stop calling yourself _my poppa_! You're _not_ my dad! This is such a stupid topic, it doesn't matter what collar I have on as long as I am claimed!" she cried with exasperation. She reached back and unlatched her collar with some impatience, opening her mouth to express herself when she reverted back to cat form. Her collar dropped to the floor, and, as a frightened animal, Perona's ears laid back, pupils dilating. Her back hunched and fluffed, and she hissed threateningly. She bolted quickly for a secure hiding spot, not giving anyone a chance to catch her.

Mihawk watched after her with surprise. Realizing that the woman seemed to have lost sight of herself as a human, Nami gasped low. She reached out and clasped onto Law's shoulder.

"You were _right_!"

Law hastily wiggled out of her grasp, snatching up the collar Perona had abandoned. "Someone get that animal. At all costs. Fix this bell onto this old thing, super hag. Only you have the delicate fingers to do so."

"And you call yourself a surgeon," she sneered at him, snatching the collar and taking the repaired one that Sabo held out to her. She ventured over to the couch to concentrate on the task while Ussop hastily went after Perona, enlisting the aid of children to do so. Mihawk looked around himself with irritation, Zoro taking the bottle of wine from him and taking hearty swallows. Once he finished, he handed Mihawk the empty bottle back, Mihawk looking at him with alarm.

Law could only wait apprehensively, now. He felt on edge and tense, fingers clenched around his sword as he waited for Ussop to hurry back with the yowling, upset cat held at arm's length away from him. Nami finished switching the bell from collar to collar, and gave the task for Ace to complete. The cat shrilled and shrieked, scratching and biting as both men mightily struggled with the task.

But once it was on, the cat stilled. Her ears flattened against her skull, and her body shook wildly, as if suffering a seizure. Once she straightened out, fluffed high with agitation, she blinked with reaction. Looking around wildly, Perona managed to wiggle out of Ussop's grasp, leaping to the floor.

All their attention was rigidly focused on her as she shook herself out, tail fluffed and twitching. Even Mihawk was riveted as he waited for something fantastic to happen. The group closed in around her so that she had no chance for escape, and she looked around herself wildly, in distress as her tail lashed. But she looked the longest at Ace and Sabo, then at Law. She darted towards Law, climbing up the length of him until she was standing at his shoulders.

Law stiffened clumsily as the cat's sides heaved, the animal looking around wildly around her as her tail lashed.

"She's never had so much attention before. Look at her, admiring her kingdom from one of the tallest towers she can find!"

All of them whipped around to see Brook sitting up clumsily, hair fluffed and ratted at the back of his skull and his body obviously twisted and broken. The silence was intense, Perona breathing heavily at Law's ear as all of them lost their voice at the sight and movement of the skeleton. Even the kids that were lingering in the area froze stiff, the sounds of the outside carrying in through the wide open door.

Brook looked at shocked faces then gasped, looking down at himself. "Oh, dear, don't tell me my zipper's down again. Yo ho ho ho hoho! There's nothing there! I forgot! I lost it during the war! Yo ho ho hoho! _Ow_ …my legs…my arms…what's been done to me? Do I look as bad as I feel?"

Ussop fainted while Nami shrieked, Mihawk's mouth dropping open with amazement. Franky stumbled, crashing against an end table and some decorations while kids scattered with screams. Ace chuckled with utter relief, shaky at the knees while Sabo clapped a hand over his mouth to prevent his own childish shouts of joy.

: :

Brook couldn't stop marveling at the grownup faces of the boys he'd met. All of them were mostly men, now. Their appearances were rugged, but it was obvious they were strong willed survivors. He sniffled a little as Law continued to repair him, pulling all his broken pieces together and fusing his broken bones back into place. Laying on his back on the kitchen table, Brook twisted his head this way and that to look from Law's serious expression to those of the boys. Mihawk just stared at him with utter revulsion – unable to speak.

Perona sat atop of Brook's bony chest, purring lightly. She had yet to turn back to human.

After the initial meet and greet with the living undead, the others had ventured off to rifle through Mihawk's alcohol supply. They sat nearby while they watched Law put Brook back together – too busy harping on each other and the older alpha to put much attention to any conversation Law wanted to bring up.

"This is a beautiful moment," Brook said, sniffling noisily. "Seeing all of you…as men…"

Law considered his words carefully, but all he asked was, "And Cora…?"

The skeleton seemed to reflect upon those words with troubled action. He used his one arm to pat Perona's head, the cat closing her eyes to lean up into it.

"That night, Corazon made his choice," Brook murmured low, Law pausing in mid-fix to look at him. "I didn't know much about that man, but I was aware of his history. He didn't want you two falling into the same fate as he. And Doflamingo could not take any more of his defiance. All I remember is that, in the end, Doflamingo emerged from those woods on his own. I removed Perona's collar so that she could not speak to give you all away, but she swallowed her bell and was gone. Doflamingo couldn't use me to find his answers, as Perona and I are connected. How I wound up in that box…well, I suppose he'd thought he'd get back to me later. But alpha minds in grief often lose any sort of clarity they might have had to remember even the smallest of things."

Law frowned as he realized Brook was speaking of what he'd witnessed in the easiest way possible, while at the same time delicately addressing a gruesome subject to a child. He wanted to lash out angrily to remind Brook that he wasn't that overwhelmed kid anymore. He was a damned _adult_.

But at that moment, something about Brook's tired, empty eye sockets told Law that what the old man had seen was painful enough. All Law concluded was that Doflamingo had killed Corazon that night because Corazon would not give up the kids' location. With Perona lost to her own abilities and Brook connected to that – the mystery was solved.

It was enough. He wasn't sure what type of expression he had, but he felt guilt in that moment. For all those things he said and the things he did – he could not apologize to Corazon for them.

"Without Corazon around to pinpoint you kids, I suppose Doflamingo couldn't look for you any further," Brook mumbled, looking in Law's direction. Without any visible expression to fully understand Brook's question, Law could only think that Brook was looking at him for an explanation himself.

He nodded. "For three years we continued to live there. Peacefully. Until Sanji came into his heats. We had to move on. Find this island…"

Brook was silent, tilting his head away to look at a point away from Law. Law felt it very important to stress, "We made our way as close as we could after some circumstances occurred and, unfortunately…the children went on ahead to find this island and I…worked for Doflamingo until some years later, when he was ultimately dismantled by all those who wanted revenge for his actions."

Brook absorbed this answer, then nodded his bushy head. Quietly, he said, "It sounds like you had to make a sacrifice. Of what I knew of that man, what you did – Corazon would have been very proud and very heartbroken for you."

"I don't want to hear that."

"Of course you'd expect to hear that someone was proud of you for your sacrifice and actions," Brook continued over Law's irritated expression, "but _do_ know that he, and I, would have, _and feel_ , very heartbroken to hear that _you_ had to go through all that just for the others to thrive. Sacrifices are not easy to make. From the looks of it, it was very difficult for you."

"I haven't been on the island for very long."

"But you were reunited with Sanji?"

"…Yes."

"Where is he?"

"In the hospital."

"…Then it appears both of you know what it means to sacrifice. So stop doing it."

Law frowned over at him.

"Both of you have suffered enough."

"You're still as ridiculous as ever, old man. Assuming that these things are that easy to do. One doesn't just…sacrifice themselves because they want to, it's because they were forced to."

"They do it because they love that person," Brook said gently. "And you both have been through enough. Let the others take the reins."

"I don't think you understand, exactly, what's happened and what it meant to get here," Law told him impatiently, laying Brook's arm flat between them.

"I don't understand that you've reunited with your mate? _These_ guys look happy and healthy enough," Brook waved at the others, who were drinking all of Mihawk's alcohol while the alpha looked mopey. Their admirers had gone home long ago, leaving a mess behind them. "What other sacrifices are needed?"

Law frowned at him, thinking about pursuing topics off the island. Where he could fit in, where he felt like he could be somebody. Somebody who deserved that life rather than the one that the island wanted for him.

"Corazon died that night to ensure that the pair of you had a chance to live a life he wasn't able to," Brook stressed quietly. "He didn't have choices. He didn't have anyone sacrificing for him. Understand that, Law."

"I don't know why you're stressing this topic when I'd only asked one thing," Law muttered, fitting together his elbow joint before melding that onto his ulna and radius.

"When we met," Brook began, allowing Law to then reattach his arm to his shoulder joint, "you were a boy overwhelmed with responsibilities that you voluntarily took on because there was no one else around to do it. The first thing I wanted to tell you when I saw you again was _Now it's my turn_. _I can do it_. But looking at you right now, I realize it won't be so easy."

Law furrowed his brow ever so slightly, then said, "You're an old, withered skeleton. I'm a very strong alpha. None of us need anyone to sacrifice for us."

Brook exhaled, wiping his forehead. " _Whew_. Thank gosh, because I was quite nervous about doing it, yo ho ho ho ho!"

Law rolled his eyes.

"In all seriousness," Brook then continued, reaching out to clasp his shoulder, "I'm not up to date with everyone here, but you still have those overwhelmed eyes. So, where are you planning on running to, now?"

Law frowned at him, focused on fitting broken metacarpals together before reattaching Brook's left hand. "Back to the mainland," he mumbled.

"Why? Do you have children there?"

"I can only have children with my mate."

"As I've said…"

"We reunited very recently and are still allergic to each other, Brook. No relations were had beforehand. That's disgusting, we were only children back then."

"You were always very strong willed! 'Allergic'…your bodies are naturally fighting off intruders that aren't or don't belong to your mate…it's been _that_ long since you've come into contact with each other?"

"Yes…"

"Yet you plan on returning to the mainland…"

" _Yes_!"

"For what reason? Now that you know what's happened to Corazon, do you still find it important to return there?"

Law frowned, brushing his hands off on his jeans. His hands were shaking, and he couldn't finish his task. Brook watched him, then examined his mended and reattached arms. His legs had yet to be repaired and reattached. After a few moments, Law rose from his chair, wearing a viciously angry expression. "I have to go."

Brook's tone was full of concern. "Did the subject make you uncomfortable?"

"No. Sanji's on his way here and his doctor will lecture _me_ if he finds him, and I hate being annoyed because someone's telling me what to do."

"Oh? You know that he's approaching through telepathy?" Brook asked curiously, lighting up at the thought.

"No, I have a boner because I can smell him, so I know he's close by." Law fixed his duster and stalked off, leaving Brook sitting there awkwardly.

" _Oh_."

: :

" _Jesus_ ," Sanji muttered, clapping a hand over his nose and mouth and giving Law an exasperated look. Once he reached him, Law stood there in front of him, deliberately upping the strength of his pheromones. He had the pleasure of watching his mate freeze, his expression turning panicked for a few moments before switching to its own angry reaction. Feeling the _rejection_ of his pheromones caused Law's to stutter ever so slightly because he was used to omegas cowering in his presence and other alphas reacting appropriately at the sensation of a challenge.

He shook his shoulders to force himself to relax while Sanji shakily withdrew his cigarettes and lit a couple. He waved them about between them before stuffing one between his teeth and allowing Law to take the other to hold.

"I can feel a lot of turmoil in you," Sanji then said with surprise. "Not in….fighting or action, just…whatever you found, you must've found your answers. And your stupid pheromones, your stupid mating call or whatever…turn them off."

Bitterly, Law scanned the wide roadway. It was busy with moving figures on the road, and it irritated him that no one stopped to ask a shoeless man in a hospital gown and sloppy pants if he should be walking around there. Given what sort of unstable figure he was, perhaps this was a normal sight to see when an islander saw Sanji walking about. Despite his attitude, Law felt his heart twinge in response. But then he noticed that Sanji's hair wasn't around his face or shoulders in its usual nest.

"You cut your hair," he said with some surprise.

"Yeah. Details, details…I want an answer."

"He's _dead_ , Sanji, there's nothing more about it." Law then swallowed tightly, flicking ashes to the side. "Brook's still the same."

"You fixed him?"

"I just…figured a few things out, but…he needs some repairs. That's all."

" _Nice_."

"Chopper's going to have your ass."

"I…there's no other way to get a hold of you. I just wanted to make sure things were okay, I couldn't just…ignore it. Take me back if you feel fit."

"Don't you want to see him? Brook? He's quite coherent."

"No. I just wanted to see you." Sanji put out his cigarette, dropping it to the road. "When I'm a little more put together, I'll meet him. Everyone should have their turn. There's so much to catch up on."

"Your friends – "

" _Our_ friends. But we're all here, now, Law. There's nothing more to rush, for."

Law had his answers. All of them were pretty much there on the island, in one piece or another. And because of the new circumstances, Law didn't feel that hasty need to abandon it any time soon. Law tossed the cigarette aside, reaching out to run his fingers over the length of his mate's shortened hair, examining the newness of Sanji's physical appearance. He had to fight the damning reaction to want to touch more, to rough handle his mate into mutual action. He could see where Sanji had been scratching himself – but they were light, careless lines. Nothing else struck out at him to signal that his omega was feeling any other issue other than the one they were dealing with.

"You look stupid," he finally muttered.

"But your pheromones say otherwise," Sanji retorted. "If your dick wasn't stretching out to say 'hi', I would've believed you."

" _Hormones_."

"Hormone me back to the hospital, then. I just needed to make sure…things were okay. Are they?"

Law reluctantly shrugged a shoulder. A few minutes later, Sanji was slowly pulling himself onto his hospital bed while Law set his sword aside and helped him. Once the exhausted omega was resettled, Law braced himself against the bed to think about that question. The sounds of the hospital slowly made its weight known through the open door, and the nurse's station was busy with excited voices.

Staring at the bottoms of Sanji's feet, which were dirtied and ugly with callouses and flaying skin caused by lack of attention, he said, "I knew he…Doflamingo's behavior said a lot. Having the confirmation was just…something that could put my curiosity to rest."

Sanji nodded, reaching out and running his fingers through Law's hair, scratching lightly at his scalp. "Then you've done all that you could. Our future can start without you hesitating all the time like some insecure jackass."

Law grumbled about that, but he looked at his omega with doubt. Without saying anything more, he crawled up onto the bed alongside with him and positioned himself on his side, allowing Sanji enough room to maneuver about. For right now, all he wanted was the comfort of his mate's presence and nothing more. Sanji sensed that of him. He turned onto his stomach and faced him. Seeing Law's troubled expression, he was aware that words wouldn't lessen whatever pain he was feeling. All he could do was be there for him.


End file.
